What is Christmas Spirit, Anyway?
by Digital-Dragon-Master
Summary: Christmas is a time for everyone to be happy, Suzie knows that, so why do her friends seem so down? She's off to find their Christmas spirit, while the Digital World gets a big surprise. And it all starts with one little wish... Details inside.
1. Day 1

A/N: Man, I was starting to think I'd NEVER finish this story! Now it's finally done!

Suzie: Weeee! A story about meee!

DDM: Ah, yes! I've always had a soft spot you, little Suzie-chan! ;ruffles her hair and gives her some chocolate;

Suzie: ;smiles and sticks her tongue out at the other Tamers;

DDM: Of course, that doesn't mean I don't like you guys!

Henry: Yeah, right…

DDM: Heh… Well, this story was born from a random burst of inspiration around Christmas of 2005. I was looking through my old Fanfiction and I found an amazing Digimon story. I reread it over the span of four days (I printed it out a long time ago), and then I started looking for Digimon pictures, Digimon AMVs, Digimon everything! It seems my old obsession is back with a vengeance.

So, I thought about how close it was to Christmas and how I've always wanted to actually write a Digimon Fanfiction that I can finish (I have a long project I took down a while ago. It's being revamped). So, this was born. It was supposed to be posted in small chapters, but I procrastinated and wanted to update it all on Christmas Eve. I then decided to make it a seven-part mini-series. Sadly, that wasn't meant to be, so I tried posting it the following June, which also didn't work because I was having such a hard time with the second to last chapter. I then thought I'd be able to have everything reading for Christmas 2006, but that yet again failed. So, after a lot of work, I finished the story earlier this year and figured I'd follow through with my original plan.

Now that the long, un-needed back-story is out of the way, here are all the author's notes you will need. I took sooo long writing them, so please read them. I do not want any questions I have already answered, okay? This story is AU, as the Tamers _do not_ get their Digimon back at the end of Season 3 (it was implied when Takato saw the portal) and the Tamer's move Runaway Digimon Express never happened (Runaway Locomon for all you dubbers like me). I love the dub to death and I am using ages, names, and changes (i.e. Lopmon's a girl and MarineAngemon speaks in small sentences) from it. I will, however, be using D-Ark instead of D-Power. This is because the word just sounds better to be… That, and I started writing the story automatically using D-Ark, and now I can't stop.

Ages officially: Takato, Rika, Henry, Kazu, and Jeri are 16; Ryo is 17; Suzie is 8; Ai and Mako are 9; Jaarin (the eldest female Wong child) is 18; Rinchei (the eldest male Wong child) is 20. I hope that will get things clear. Yeah, I know Takato and co. are supposed to be 12 in the original, and yeah, Suzie should've been 7, not five; Ai and Mako should've been 4, yet I made them 6. Get over it. I got it into my head a long time ago that in the dub, the Tamers were all 13 except Ryo, who was a year older, Suzie was 5 and Ai and Mako were 6. The last three have ages that were never confirmed anyway.

Please ignore some of the bad rhymes… It was hard to rhyme sometimes… If there's a number next to something (probably only going to be one of them), you can go to the bottom to see a note about it. If you don't want to spoil the story for yourself (I've done this before), please wait until the end, as they aren't essential, just little notes. If it's absolutely killing you, then go to the end notes and see it. I'll try and make the author's notes long so the end of the story doesn't show up on the page. Either that, or just enlarge the font… Hell, I dunno! Henry's sensei will be mentioned in this, but I'm not sure if he's his grandfather or not (this very well be me meshing Seasons 2 and 3 together due to Cody's grandfather). I'm going to say he is, but remember it may not be correct. I just don't have all the episodes at the moment, so I can't check. You'll also find I love flashbacks. I at first had all the flashbacks I wanted in a notebook; these took me hours of watching and re-watching to copy down. However, this notebook became lost when my mother started cleaning, so I was slightly stuck. I found a wonderful website called _Crest of Hope: Patamon's World_ that has all the scripts for the dub, so I'm going off that now. The actions may not be perfect, but I don't want to go back and do all that again.

As for couples, I'm going for the most canon approach, except with some sweet hints of Suzie/Mako because, well, I've seen it done well and it's cute. I mean, they're only little kids so it would only be a little crush thing. With the other couples, I will be using Jurato and Ryuki. Come now, people, you all saw the last episode of Tamers. I admit people could say it was only friendship between Ryo and Rika, but all throughout the D-Reaper arc we got hit over the head with Jurato, so I'm going with it. I know a large group of you adore Rukato; heck, I must admit one of my favorite stories _is _a Rukato! However, I can't write it to save my life and on the whole I do enjoy Jurato and Ryuki better. The only Rukato stories I've read and enjoyed are those of Daneel Rush. If you enjoy Rukato and angst, what are you doing here? Go and read his stuff! _Tamers Forever_ is like a freaking novel… I dare you to get through it all in one day. I dare you.

When talking in Bio-Merged form (through flashbacks), it'll go like this:

Example:

Guilmon- Only Guilmon is talking

Takato- Only Takato is talking

Gallantmon- They are both talking

Lastly, I'd like to dedicate this story to three authors: Akuma-sama, The Create Card, and WithoutMorals-Revived, the authors of _Digimon: The next generation_, _Digimon: The College Years_, and _Digimon Tamers: Dark Wing_ respectively. These have to be the best Digimon stories that actually use the cannon couples (or couple if you want to get technical), but only one is finished. Akuma-sama, I'm sorry you lost interest in your last arc. It was fun while it lasted, right? TCC, I hope that one day you finish your story, as it had the best blend of the first three seasons of Digimon I've seen in years and the best use of a college story as well. WMR, those last few chapters were amazing, man. You have a gift for writing this stuff, and I hope you can return to the fandom in the future.

But enough with my ramblings and notes and sucking up ;wink;. Suzie, being the main character, would you like to say the Disclaimer?

Suzie: Digital-Dwagon-Master doesn't own Digimon! If she did, thwew would've been another season of the Tamews, and I would've gotten a bigger pawt!

DDM: Kawaii! ;glomps Suzie; Ahem. Well, for this story I'm going to have to make you a little bigger, okay?

Suzie! YAY! Stawtitstawtitstawtit!

DDM: As you wish…

**What Is Christmas Spirit, Anyway?**

_A Digimon Christmas story by Digital-Dragon-Master_

_Staring Suzie Wong and Lopmon_

_Co-Staring Terriermon, Calumon, and MarineAngemon_

* * *

_Gather 'round children, all young and all old,_

_And I'll tell you a tale of a small group so bold._

_If you've come for expected, then turn away here,_

_For the hero is no mystic snowman, no glowing-nosed deer._

_No, the champions in this story will be the surprises;_

_And heroes, you'll learn, can come in all sizes_

_For when a promise grows dim, and a dream starts to fall,_

_The biggest heart can found in someone quite… small._

'_Twas the week before Christmas in the Digital World,_

_But this was of no importance to the Digi-boys and girls._

_For as far as they knew, there was no December._

_No March, or July, no June or November._

_The Human World, you see, they all knew not,_

_Except for a few, a small little lot._

_These Digimon had been there and made life-long friends_

_And this, everyone, is where our story begins…_

* * *

It wasn't often that the Tamed Digimon met up with one another, but when they did, man, was it a sight to see! They would talk and, if they were naturally playful like Guilmon, Terriermon, Calumon, MarineAngemon, or sometimes Lopmon, run around and play. Others, like Renamon, Impmon, Guardromon, and Cyberdramon would talk. Well, Cyberdramon would more like growl mostly, unless he was Monodramon, then he would play. And Impmon would tease and joke and play pranks on the littler ones, while Guardromon would look on and stare, sometimes trying to comprehend what little Calumon was talking about (the others had all but given up sometimes. After he used a "like eating a rain cloud" simile to describe the taste of a curious colored liquid they found, they all had pretty much stopped trying to decipher some of the meanings).

It was rare that all of them met and that made the occasion all the more exciting and joyful. They would all catch up on what they'd been doing, but none of them would mention the Tamers. It was too painful. Even after three years, it was too painful to think too much of their old partners. Today was one of those days, though. One of those days that one of them was brave enough to mention them, one of those days that the others didn't mind.

They'd met up in a little clearing in the forest that Renamon had recalled her and her partner Rika had traveled in when they went to the Digital World with their Tamers.

"You know," it was Terriermon, the Digimon who had probably spent the most time in the Real World, save Impmon and maybe Renamon, who started this, "around this time of year, there's something back in the Real World called 'Christmas'."

"Christ…mas?" Guilmon and Calumon asked, blinking. Calumon was lying on the red dinosaur's head, his large ears almost covering the yellow-gold eyes on his head.

Terriermon nodded, grinning ecstatically. "Yep! Christmas! It's a big holiday where there's joy and good-will and "Peace on Earth" talk, and it's really cold outside, and there are lights and decorations everywhere, and everyone's laughing and talking, and there are big trees put up everywhere, and there are _**presents**_!" Terriermon was rushing through this entire explanation, of course, so it was hard to hear exactly what he said. Of course, Calumon and Guilmon heard the word "presents."

"Oh, really?!" Calumon cried, floating above Guilmon's head. "Does that mean I would get cream puffs?"

Guilmon's tail was twitching back and forth. "And Guilmon Bread?"

Terriermon nodded again, crossing his arms and looking all-knowing in the subject. "Yeah, of course! Everyone gets presents at Christmas!"

Renamon decided to put in her two cents. "Aren't you forgetting something, Terriermon?"

"Eh?"

"Well, Christmas isn't only about presents."

"I said all the other stuff."

"No one could really understand you, though." Guardromon pointed out.

"Thanks, Guardromon…" The dog-bunny grumbled.

"You're welcome." Guardromon beamed back.

Renamon cleared her throat, getting the other Digimon's attention. "You see, Christmas is a holiday in which the humans celebrate the birth of a sort of savior who was born a long time ago. It is supposed to be a very popular story, I've heard. Of course, not all humans celebrate Christmas, but many have a holiday much like it around this time.

"Nonetheless, the holiday is a time where family and friends gather together and spend their time talking and enjoying each other's company. The presents are a way of giving others something to try and show gratitude toward them; however, the greatest way you can show your gratitude is by just being with them and enjoying the holiday." She added as an afterthought, "Most places get a great deal of snow as well."

Lopmon smiled serenely. "Wouldn't it be great if it were like that here?" She asked. "Just a day of peace and tranquility, all the Digimon living in harmony…"

Impmon smirked. "I'm all for the presents myself, but if I get a day to just relax, then I say Christmas all the way!" A pause. "But I could do without all the happy touchy-feeliness…"

MarineAngemon floated on Lopmon's head. "Christmas!" He was a Digimon of few words, that was for sure.

Calumon seemed to spin with joy. "We could make Digimon made out of snow!" He didn't really know what snow was exactly, but he went with it.

"And all the bright lights!" Monodramon put in. He was really different in Rookie form; that was for sure, almost like a little kid (I get this from when he was pressing all the buttons in Ryo's father's car… Yeah, I love that scene).

"Takato and I could just spend the day together." Guilmon added thoughtfully, not even realizing what he was saying. "We could smell all the baking bread and-" He stopped.

An uncomfortable silence followed, none of the Digimon even looking at another. They all missed their Tamers so much…

Impmon coughed, beginning to walk to the river. "Well, it's not like we can suddenly make Christmas come to the Digi-World, right? So we should just stop thinkin' about it…"

Renamon sighed, her arms crossed across her chest as she leaned against a tree. Only a silly dream…

Guilmon followed Impmon, shouting that he shouldn't deny that he want Christmas too. The mischievous imp just ignored him, dipping his feet in the water.

Lopmon was eventually left to stand with Calumon and MarineAngemon in the little clearing, the other Digimon preoccupied with their activities (including Terriermon trying to get Monodramon to use his Crack Bite attack to cut down a tree with very delicious looking fruits on it). She gave a small sigh as the other two Digimon blinked at her, Calumon's ears now small and his mouth frowning.

"I wish we _did_ have Christmas here…" The chocolate-bunny like Digimon sighed. "I really, really do…"

* * *

A large Digimon watched this from a nice-sized thrown.

"Christmas she wants, Christmas she gets…"

_When the little rabbit wished that, on that warm Digi-day,_

_She had no idea that winter'd be coming their way._

* * *

_Meanwhile, far off, in another world,_

_There's a lot of preparation for one little girl._

A little girl, only eight years old, sat in her room, her fingers dancing on the cellular phone in her hands. The girl, Suzie, had grown up since her adventures in the Digital World, but was still a little girl at heart. She still played with dolls and stuffed animals, and she still wore her hair in two pigtails, even though they went to her shoulders now as her hair had grown. She was taller, but not by much, much to her chagrin. She was dressed in a deep purple karate outfit, complete with a belt. Her grandfather had been teaching her the martial arts after she'd begged him for days. She'd just gotten back from her latest lesson, and her last one for the month. Normally, the littlest Tamer was adorned in a pink Chinese-style shirt, much like the one she'd worn when the Digimon lived in the Real World except long sleeved, and pinkish-purple long pants. She now had much to do to prepare for tomorrow, the day of her school play. Winter Break had already started, but the play was a six days before Christmas. She'd gotten the lead role, so it was very unnerving in a way.

_"Hello?"_

Suzie grinned widely at the sound of the female voice on the other end. "Hi, Ai! It's Suzie."

_"Oh, hi!"_

After the debacle with the D-Reaper, Suzie had gotten to know the twins Ai and Mako and they had become fast friends. Ai usually dressed in a red skirt and a pink sweater with her hair in a braid down to her backbone. Suzie wondered how the girl didn't get cold with the freezing weather they were having. Her brother, Mako, wore a deep blue jumper still, but it was made of corduroy and he wore a long sleeved sky blue shirt under it, normally seen with a puffy orange jacket. His hair hadn't changed all that much, except it had become tamed and almost like Takato's, the unofficial "leader" of their little group of misfit Tamers. In Suzie's opinion, he'd become quite handsome.

"I just wanted to make sure you knew about the play tomorrow. You're coming, right?"

_"Of course! We wouldn't miss it for the world, right Mako?"_

The sound of a muffled, _"Fwha?"_ came over the phone, and Suzie could only guess the younger of the twins (by only two minutes, Mako constantly complained) was eating. She giggled slightly.

_"That's yes in Mako language. It's taken me so long to learn how to speak it."_

_"HEY!"_ was what came through the cell next.

Suzie chuckled harder as she heard the two argue over the phone. "Well, I'll see you two tomorrow then, right?"

The fighting stopped and both responded in unison. _"Yeah!"_

"Bye!"

_"Bye!" "See ya, Suzie!"_

Suzie smiled as she thought of the two of them. They still fought everyday, but it wasn't as violent as it had been when they were six. It was probably a tribute to Impmon, she mused. They also, so ironically, were staying in Hongo with their grandmother, just like they were when Impmon reunited with them three years ago. They were celebrated with their entire family, but couldn't wait for Suzie's play.

The eight-year-old shrugged, setting down the phone and shaking her head. She had more things to do to prepare for the play tomorrow; more people to call, places to go, things to finish. Everything was so hectic. Not only was she the staring role in the play, but she had volunteered to help with the management as well. The costumes had to be picked up from the Dry-Cleaner's, the actors had to be called to make sure they hadn't forgotten the play, the stage hands and special effects crew had to be called to make sure they had everything set up, and the advertisers had to be contacted to make sure they'd actually sold their tickets. Suzie sighed. Had she known she'd be picked for the lead role after the original got food poisoning, she'd never signed for so many jobs.

_"I'll do anything I can to help."_ She'd of-so-coincidently said to the Head of the Drama department. Two weeks ago, the lead had been hospitalized and poor Suzie was the understudy. She learned her part as fast as she could, and the director remarked she had amazing talent. Still, it didn't stop her from wishing the original girl got better. Of course, as luck would have it, she didn't, and the Tamer girl was stuck with the most jobs in the history of West Shinjuku Elementary.

"Mom, can you take me to the Cleaner's to pick up the costumes?" She called while she dialed another number.

"Of course, sweetie!" Came her reply. "Just get ready to leave soon! It's supposed to snow later today."

Suzie inwardly groaned. That was just what she needed…

* * *

Suzie arrived at the Dry-Cleaner's soon after she'd called the cast. She still needed to call everyone else, but at least her mother had gotten her there before the snow had started to fall. Of course, it was close enough that they didn't need to drive, but Suzie, being an eight-year-old child and the youngest in her family, wasn't aloud to go out without her mother, father, sister, or one of her older brothers.

Of course, the entire world seemed to be conspiring against her.

"WHAT?!" Suzie cried, looking forlornly at the man in front of her.

He nodded hesitantly. "Sorry, little girl. We managed to save all of the costumes except for one, though."

Suzie almost sank to the ground in distress. It seemed that an intern had been running the machines and had let it run a little too long. There was a melt-down for some reason and, of course, all the costumes she needed were in there at the time. The men had acted rather quickly, though, and rescued all the outfits save one: her's.

"We'll be happy to refund your money." A woman offered.

Suzie moaned. "That won't help. The play's _tomorrow_!" She hid her face in her hands and shook her head. Why did everything have to happen to her?

Mrs. Wong kneeled down and pulled her daughter into a one armed hug.

"There, there, honey." She comforted. "Jaarin is wonderful at making clothes. If you describe it to her, I'm sure she can recreate your costume in time for tomorrow's play."

That was true, her older sister could make it, but she'd need all day and all the fabric shops were too far away. She'd have to use whatever she had at home…

The girl cringed at the thought of walking out in a lime green and mauve costume, being laughed at by everyone. She would trip over the feet and fall into the other actors, who in turn would fall into the special effects crew, who would accidentally hit all the buttons and levers, making all the special effects go off at once and blind some of the light-sensitive members of the audience…

Okay, that was going too far…

Suzie trudged back to her apartment house, telling her sister the bad news and begging for her to help. Jaarin quickly complied, and Suzie described the costume in great detail. The older girl then shut herself in her room, saying she couldn't be disturbed. Her oldest brother, Rinchei, offered to drop off the costumes while Suzie finished phoning everyone. It was great to have help.

It was at this time that Henry, her other brother and fellow Tamer arrived home from the park. He hadn't changed much since his Tamer days, except for his shaggy almost-shoulder-length hair that he refused to cut. Kazu and Kenta enjoyed teasing him about his "girly hair", when it was actually quite masculine. If you looked closely, you could see he was wiser, and at times he seemed almost like a grown man. Suzie suspected sometimes even he forgot he was still only a teenager.

He had been hanging out with the other Tamers as well, doing her job of asking them if they could make the play at the same time. All of them could come, much to her enjoyment, but it didn't help her mood very much. The heavy snowfall had begun and it didn't look like it would stop anytime soon.

Henry ruffled her hair reassuringly as she sat at the desk in her room. "Don't worry, Suzie, everything will turn out fine."

Well, he hadn't lost his ability to cheer people up, that's for sure.

"I guess." She mumbled, picking up the phone again. "But why does it seem like everything's going to go wrong?"

Suzie was answered by the local news station from the other room. _"And the snowfall will continue into the night, bordering the twelve inch mark. Citizens are advised to be ready for a harsh winter, that's for sure. Back to you, Steve._

_"Thanks Mark. I sure hope this won't cause any problems for out last minutes shoppers, don't you, Mary?"_

_"We can only watch, Steve, but those little kids are going to have a lot of fun with all the snowmen they can make."_

Suzie's loud moan drowned out the laughter of the co-anchors as her head hit the desk with a 'thud.'

Great! Now all she needed was a Bio-Emergence and this it would be official! Something out there hated her…

_It was funny how right Suzie could be,_

_Even when she didn't want the irony._

* * *

_But as poor Suzie wallowed in anxiety and despair,_

_The Digital citizens were getting a surprise wished up by a hare._

Digimon everywhere blinked and stared as a white powder called snow began to fall slowly to the ground in most places, and where it didn't, or where it already was, the Digimon's confusion came from the sudden knowledge of a certain Real World holiday that was only six days away. Shops seemed to crop up around the Southern Sector of the Digital World, while in the other sectors they already existed. A giant tree rose up in the blink of an eye in the very center of every layer, no matter what the climate, complete with decorations. The creatures no longer fought, but were kind to one another and all went to get things for their loved ones.

It was at this time that the small group of Tamed Digimon met in the exact same spot they had earlier, shocked and stunned, none more than Lopmon, Calumon, and MarineAngemon.

"WHAT IN THE HECK IS GOING ON?!" Impmon voiced all their opinions.

* * *

A/N: And here's the first chapter! The next ones will be put up one every day for the next week! Part Two of this little series is coming tomorrow!

Next Time: The Tamed Digimon pay a visit to the Sovereign to try and get to the bottom of their little mystery, and Lopmon volunteers for a surprising task. Meanwhile, the Tamers get ready to attend Suzie's oncoming play, but will a surprise visit from another world delay their arrival? The real plot starts next time, in _Digimon Tamers: What is Christmas Spirit Anyway?_!

Suzie: Wemember to weview!


	2. Day 2

A/N: All righty, folks; next chapter!

This one will be significantly longer due to Suzie's play, which I add again, I wrote out by hand… This is where the real plot really begins.

Disclaimer: See previous chapter.

* * *

_Six Days Until Christmas_

"Why is this happening? My sector was very peaceful _before_ all this snow started falling everywhere! We don't need it to be _more_ peaceful!"

"Aye, all the Digimon talk aboot is 'Christmas' this, an' 'Christmas' that. It's startin' to grate on me nerves."

"Yup, drives me crazy."

"I honestly don't think it's a bad idea. I've heard about it from some of the DigiDestined in my sector. This 'Christmas' is supposed to be a very happy time, I hear."

"Well, I don't like it!"

"You wouldn't."

There was an angry squawk. "It's interfering with my sector's natural way of life! There's supposed to be more fighting and loading of data! The balance will fall apart!"

"Now, now, Zhuqiaomon, let's be reasonable. A little peace really doesn't seem to be a problem."

"What _I_ want to know," the first voice interrupted, "is why we all suddenly know about this 'Christmas' holiday. I seem to suddenly know all of its traditions and such, like it was magic."

"We all wonder 'boot that, Baihumon, me friend. Why, just yesterday I was overseein' me sector when suddenly I had a wee urge to hang little colored bulbs on me giant tree! An' I dinnae seem to have a problem with it either!"

"This is just gettin' crazy."

The voices all started to argue at once, some trying to keep peace while others wanted to yell about. Lopmon and her friends just cowered around the corner.

"You wanna interrupt the all-powerful gods, or should I?" Terriermon asked his chocolate counterpart.

The former Deva sighed, shaking her head. "I just don't understand why all of this is happening. I mean, all the Digimon are acting like you and Renamon described yesterday. They aren't even fighting!"

"And there are stores like the ones Takato would show to me!" Guilmon added, thoroughly confused.

Calumon seemed to glow with excitement. "I like the little white fluffy powder poofs though!"

"Snow, Calumon," Renamon quickly corrected the little teddy-looking Digimon. "I am confused as well. This shouldn't be happening. It is nice, but…"

"It shouldn't be happenin', we know, you told us on the way here." Impmon mumbled impatiently.

"Someone's gotta go out there." Monodramon reminded them, looking nervously at his toes.

Guardromon looked at MarineAngemon and the little fairy-angel shook his head.

"Huh-uh. I'm not stupid."

Terriermon sighed. "Well, then I guess there's only one thing we can do…" He then shoved Lopmon as hard as he could with his ears.

"Wha?!" She stuttered, looking back at the rabbit-dog as she stumbled into the Sovereign's eyesight.

Terriermon shrugged with his ears, mouthing, "You once served the rooster; you talk to 'im."

The Sovereign's attention was drawn to Lopmon as she fell into view, making her gulp slightly before bowing to the giant red phoenix.

"My Sovereign, I have come to talk to you about the recent problem in the Digital World." She shut her eyes tight.

"Ah, yes, Lopmon, we were discussing that as well." Zhuqiaomon's voice was gentler than before. "We don't know exactly why this happened, though…"

Lopmon felt herself grow pale. Her wish… Naw, it couldn't be… She straightened up. "My Sovereign, I am here with my fellow Tamed Digimon to address this."

As if on cue, the other Digimon walked out from around the corner, Renamon, MarineAngemon and Guardromon looking serious (or at least as serious as you can look when you're made out of metal), Guilmon and Monodramon looking nervous, Terriermon grinning and waving at Lopmon, who at this point was very tempted to bull-rush him and beat him with her ears, Impmon having that 'I-don't-care' look, and Calumon practically spinning in mid-air, whispering about giant poofs of white candy.

Renamon picked up the slack. "It seems the Digital World is experiencing a holiday from the Real World called Christmas." She went into explaining it, just like she'd done the day before. She was slow and calm; Lopmon didn't know how she did it in front of the great Sovereign.

"And so, for some reason, we are experiencing this holiday as well." She finished, never losing her composed look.

Azulongmon, the dragon who had argued with Zhuqiaomon, looked puzzled but pleased. "Thank you, Tamed Digimon. This helps us to understand this holiday more."

"We may understand it, but we still don't know how this happened!" The red one exploded, his feathers ruffling.

Terriermon leaned over to Lopmon, speaking out the side of his mouth. "Seems like bird-brain still needs anger management, huh?"

"Shush!" Lopmon took a step forward, a plan forming in her mind. "My Sovereign, if you would allow me, I volunteer to look into why this is happening."

The four looked at one another, muttering softly. After a moment of deliberation, they looked back at Lopmon, the sector's Sovereign once again answering. "We will grant your request, Lopmon." He responded.

"Only do what you can," Baihumon, the tiger, put in gently.

"Aye, we donnae wan' ye to put yourself out, lassie, do we?" One of the turtle's heads said.

"Nope, not a bit." The other head of the turtle, Ebonwumon, commented.

Lopmon nodded, bowing once again. "Thank you, My Sovereign, I will not disappoint you."

She then turned around and left, hanging her head high.

Calumon blinked as his friend left. The Sovereign all talked among themselves, nodded and prepared to leave.

"If you'll excuse me," Azulongmon said, "I must get back to the East Sector. The Digimon there must be told that this year we will be celebrating a joyous event."

"For you, it may be." Zhuqiaomon's voice held no hostility, just annoyance. "I'm not sure I can get used to this sort of thing."

"Well, that's jus' you, Mr. Fiery-McCranky. I'm gonna enjoy this lil' time. Those Celestial folk in me sector'll love hearin' 'boot this one. An' that lil' dog thing too…"

"Ah, he'll go zany."

Baihumon nodded to his fellow Sovereign. "My sector has yet to see any other lords other than myself, so I'll have to tell all the Digimon in person, much like the other two."

"Ah, really?"

"Why, yes, you never knew?"

The two discussed this among themselves as the walked away, seeming to fade into nothingness.

Azulongmon gave Zhuqiaomon a nod, and the latter had an exasperated look in his eyes. The former seemed to smile with his eyes.

"You'll get through it, my old friend."

"Yes, yes…"

Azulongmon too faded away with the others.

The Tamed Digimon left the keep, talking to one another about how they were going to celebrate this fine time. Calumon and MarineAngemon looked at one another, both of them thinking about Lopmon's wish. She was still in sight and they ran/flew to catch up to her.

"Hey, hey, Lopmon!" Calumon called, causing her to turn around. "Where're you going?"

"I'm going to do what I promised the Sovereign." She responded. "I am going to find out why this happened."

"But why?" MarineAngemon asked, tilting his head to the right.

Lopmon glanced around as to make sure no one was near. She then drew them closer and whispered, "I have a hunch this has to do with my wish."

The two Digimon leaned in closer.

"Anytime the Tamers wished for something, I've noticed it would happen; within reason, of course." She bit her lip. "Maybe something's granting these wishes."

"But the Digi-Gnomes are!" Calumon reminded, remembering his white glowing friends. "They granted a lot and lot of wishes before, why not now?"

"Because, there aren't many Digi-Gnomes left, remember?" Lopmon chimed. "The few left can't possibly have granted such a large wish."

There was a small silence.

"So, what now?" MarineAngemon queried.

"I'm going to find who granted my wish." The bunny-dog responded determinedly. "Then, maybe I can wish us back to the Real World!"

Calumon and MarineAngemon gasped, the former jumping from foot to foot excitedly. "I could see Jeri again!"

"And Kenta…" MarineAngemon said thoughtfully.

"We just need to find who granted it." The three sighed.

"I can help you there!"

All of them jumped and turned to find Terriermon standing there, his small arms crossed.

"Terriermon?!" Lopmon cried. "What are you doing here?!"

"Oh, please! You three are about as secretive as Guilmon is a college professor!" He retorted. "I knew something was up, so I followed you. Now, I want in."

"In?" Lopmon questioned.

"Yeah, I can help you guys!"

"Wait, who said they were coming?"

"Hey!" Little Calumon puffed up. "I wanna come! I wanna help get back to Jeri and Rika and cream puffs!"

"Me too!" MarineAngemon called. "I'm a Mega, remember?"

"And I happen to know a lot of old folktales that could lead us to this Mon in question." Terriermon put in.

Lopmon groaned in defeat. "All right, all right, you can come." The three celebrated. "But we have to report to the Sovereign before we go back to the Real World, all right?"

"Got ya!"

"Huh-uh!"

"Right, Right!"

Lopmon sighed. "Why do I have the feeling that I'm seriously going to regret this?"

"Aw, Momentai!"

_So off they set on their little quest,_

_While other Digimon were preparing for the fest._

* * *

_Suzie, however, wasn't cheerful at all._

_She in fact felt the an incredible urge to maul,_

_The first person that did catch her eye,_

_As this day was wondering by._

Suzie almost sobbed as she stared out the window, finding much more snow than there had been predicted.

_"And all streets into and out of West Shinjuku are blocked. Workers are hoping they can get them cleared before Christmas Eve, but if the snow continues as it has, the entire city could be snowed in."_

She wanted to scream as the news broadcast reached her ears. Luckily, all the Tamers save Ryo (who lived on Kyushu Island) lived in Shinjuku, and he was staying with his father in a hotel in the city already because of the annual Tamer Christmas party. Ai and Mako, of course, were out of town, meaning her best friends couldn't make it to the play. She whined sadly.

"Why me, why me, why me?"

Henry cautiously patted her head. "Uh, there, there, Suzie…" Her bloodshot-eyes snapped up to look at him, her lower right eyelid twitching slightly; she hadn't gotten much sleep the night before. If looks could kill, he'd be on the floor with two holes through his head.

"Don't. Talk. Must. Call." Suzie then picked up the phone and called the Head of the Drama Department to confirm that the play was still to be preformed, the stage crew to make sure they showed up, and the actors to threaten to hunt them all down one by one if they _didn't_ show up. No, she wasn't a very happy girl.

When she was done, though, she found all the Tamers except the twins at her bedroom door. Apparently, Henry had called all of them on his cell phone he'd gotten last year.

Takato approached Suzie hesitantly. He still retained his boyish looks from his younger years, but they only enhanced his looks. He somehow still looked his age, if not older' it was probably the serious look he would often get in his eyes when deep in thought. The other Tamers knew it was a result of the time spent in the Digital World. He'd been going through a growth spurt recently, making him only a little shorter than Ryo.

"Huh, hi Suzie." Takato waved nervously. It turned out the little girl could have a very fragile emotional gauge, and could start sobbing or start attacking in a moment's notice. She inherited a very nice right hook from her brother. "Are you… okay?"

Suzie could no longer take it. Her lower lip trembled and she burst out into juvenile tears, throwing a little temper tantrum.

"It's not fair! Why does this stuff always happen to _me_?! Why, why, why?!" She bawled, standing in the middle of the room with the others standing around her hesitantly.

Jeri gathered Suzie up in her arms, patting her back softly. Jeri seemed to have changed the most after the D-Reaper incident (physically, that is). She'd matured in all the right ways, making her look wise. She'd grown her hair out and abandoned her old side-ponytail look for letting it hang free with a slight wave. "That's right, just let it all out, okay?"

It was times like this that Takato realized how motherly his friend could be. That's right, friend. In the three years after the D-Reaper, Takato had not once asked the girl in front of him on a _single date_. The other Tamers had tried to get him to do _something_, but would he? Of course not! Kazu and Kenta, however, planned to change that this year.

Suzie was sniveling softly; she was now back on the ground and wiping her eyes. Henry was patting her head and smiling at her.

"Do you feel better now?" He asked softly.

"Sorta…" Sniffle. "I still think the world hates me…"

"How about we go into the kitchen and mom will make you a nice breakfast before your big day, okay?" Henry began ushering her out of the room.

"All right…"

"Then Jaarin can show you the nice costume she made for you. She's been up all night making it."

Their voices trailed off and the other Tamers let out a collective sigh.

"Man, that poor girl." Kazu said, shaking his head. The boy had matured greatly since his experiences in the Digital World, and since had changed his looks. He no longer wore his visor every day, but kept his hair spiked. His new-found good looks had earned him many girlfriends, but he could barely hold on to one for more than two weeks. "She's really got a full plate, huh?"

"Yeah, she's practically head of everything in that play!" Kenta exclaimed, throwing his hands in the air. Kenta had been the surprise of the group. With a change in prescription, his glasses were now more stream-lined and complimented his maturing face. He'd grown taller than Kazu (though the boy would never admit it), and many times the other Tamers caught girls staring dreamily at him. Kenta remained obliviously unaware of his fan club, though whether that was good or bad has yet to be determined. "There should be some law against kids doing that much!"

"I'm just glad she feels better now." Jeri said, looking at the girl as she poked at a pancake with syrup. She then took out a little fox puppet from her purse. She'd gotten really good at ventriloquism in the last three years and even volunteered at a local orphanage, putting on little performances with her fox friend. "She just needs a little time, ruff! Then, she'll be all right!" Jeri smiled at the puppet. It was still just a little creepy, but the other Tamers remembered she only did it around little kids…

"Maybe we can offer her one of the cookies we got for the party?" Ryo put in, not really used to comforting little kids. He'd grown even taller in the three years since the D-Reaper, making him the tallest out of the entire group, but had mostly stayed the same.

"Oh, please." Rika rolled her eyes. She had also matured in her own ways, becoming a heartthrob for many of the boys around town, much to her dismay. She kept her hair at shoulder length, mostly because it was easy to maintain and she actually like her topknot-like ponytail. "She needs more than just a little treat, you oaf."

"I don't see you trying anything."

"That's because I admit that I'm not good with kids. You, however, are still in that delusion that you're Mr. Perfect, good at everything you try."

Ah, that's another thing the Dynamic Duo needed to fix up… Yup, they'd be doing a lot of match making that year…

* * *

After a nice long breakfast and a few scrubs to get the tear-streaks off her face, Suzie had yet another surprise when Jaarin showed her the costume she'd made. The other Tamers were in the other room, for Suzie hadn't even told them the name of play she was performing in! She said it would be a surprise.

"WHAT?! Jaarin, you-!"

"They were the only colors I had! It looks good though, right? You can't deny that, Suzie! You'll look great out there!"

"Yeah, but…" A sigh was heard and, a few minutes later, a disgruntled Suzie walked out of the room with a large bag. "Let's go…" She grumbled.

Jaarin followed, giving the questioning looks she received a small shrug of apology. Of course, fate wasn't finished with Suzie yet.

_Poor Suzie, her day wasn't going well,_

_However, one last thing would make her whole week hell._

* * *

_Back in our good little Digital land,_

_There were some little babies thinking Christmas was grand._

_They had a little wish in mind, they did,_

_But it would make trouble for our favorite kids._

A small Botomon talked to his white friend in a small snowy clearing. "Isn't the snow great, YukimiBotomon?"

"That's easy for you to say!" A high-pitched voice came from his right. "_You_ don't get lost just walking around!"

"Come on, Yuki!" A Punimon called, bouncing along with a group of a Chibimon, a Yuramon, a Zurumon, and a Tsubamon. "This is a wonderful thing, yep yep!"

"Yeah!" Chibimon called. "It makes my tongue tickle!" He giggled as a flack hit his open mouth.

Yuramon laughed too. "I love all the flashy lights!"

"And all the older Digimon are nice to us!" Zurumon cried, jumping into the air.

Tsubamon nodded at the others. "I hear it's even better in the Real World!"

"Huh?" The group looked at him.

"Christmas!"

They all squealed and jumped excitedly. "Christmas! Christmas! Christmas!"

"I wish we could see Christmas in the Real World!" Botomon yelled to the sky, looking at the orb in the sky.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah!" YukimiBotomon joined him and bounced. "Real World, Real World!"

All the babies started chanting and bouncing and dancing, talking about how great the Real World Christmas would be. Then, they were gone.

* * *

"Okay!" Suzie cried, pulling her brother's hand to the car. "Let's go, let's go, let's go!"

She seemed to get over her costume disappointment as her parents guided the other Tamers to the two vans parked in the apartment garage across the street. They would drive them all to the school where the play was being preformed. The group was pretty excited to see Suzie acting. They heard she was pretty good, and Henry wouldn't stop talking about it for the two weeks she'd been practicing for the part. He couldn't wait to see his little sister in the lime light. They had a little dilemma before even getting in the cars, though…

"No way!" Rika huffed, crossing her arms angrily.

"Please, Rika!" Takato practically begged. He inched closer to her while Jeri was keeping Suzie happy with her puppet (Puppet-chan), making sure she wasn't watching. "Jeri's riding with Suzie, and I really want to talk to her while we're waiting…"

"But then why do I have to go with those nuts!" She cried, pointing at Kazu, Kenta, and a frowning Ryo.

"You know, I take great offence in that comment, Rika."

"Oh, shut up, you!"

"Because," Takato continued, ignoring the feuding Tamers, "Rinchei has to go in the same car as Suzie because he's helping out the drama director with the play." Of course… Rinchei's favorite teacher was the Head of the Drama Department back in Elementary School, and they'd really hit it off. Mr. Souzou was in a little over his head and when he found out Suzie was Rinchei's youngest sister, he just had to ask his old friend for help. Rinchei immediately offered. "And you can't expect Henry to go in the other car."

Rika glared at the goggled boy in front of her.

"Pleeeeeease?" Takato was now down on his knees, begging insanely. He looked up at her with pleading eyes, almost taking on a Guilmon-esque appearance.

Rika gave him a long look before letting out an annoyed yell and turning around. "All right, all right!"

Takato gave a small cheer of joy and celebration. "Oh, thank you, Rika! You're a Goddess, really!"

She spun back around and gave him a piercing look, making the boy leap backward with a yelp. "You owe me one, Gogglehead."

Takato chuckled nervously, scratching the back of his head while Henry sighed next to him. "You're going to get killed one day doing that, Takato."

"Yeah, you're probably right."

Rika stomped over to the other van, Janyu Wong giving her a sympathetic look. He knew how much she disliked the two before her, and how annoyed she got with the other boy following her.

"Don't even try, Ryo." She grumbled when he attempted to make conversation with her.

"But… I didn't say anything yet…" He just stared at her, confusion on his face. She climbed in the car, already lecturing Kazu and Kenta for "talking too loudly".

Mr. Wong walked over to Ryo and gave him a thump on the back. "It's all right, son. You'll understand girls some day."

"Yeah, like the time I'm as old as my dad." Ryo mumbled, getting in the back of the van.

Janyu laughed softly at the teenagers. How he missed being that age…

Just when everyone was getting ready to leave; Suzie was laughing at Puppet-chan, Takato smiling at Jeri and talking enthusiastically to Henry, who suspected Takato wasn't really paying attention to the conversation when he started talking about how great ventriloquism was instead of what his family had planned for Christmas. Rinchei looked over several lists and called Mr. Souzou to tell him they were on their way. Ryo was trying to keep Rika from killing Kazu and Kenta while Jaarin looked on and cringed when Rika threatened to tie them to the back of the van. It was during this happy (?) time that the D-Arks all started going off.

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!" Suzie cried, her voice roaring over the beeps of the devices. The Tamers piled out of the vans, Suzie being last. "NO, NO, NO, NO!!!!! WHY NOW?! WHY AFTER THREE YEARS DO THE DIGIMON FEEL LIKE SAYING HI?! WHY?!?!??!?!?!"

Henry put his hand on Suzie's shoulder. "You get to your play; we'll go check this out." He said to her.

"But… But…"

Rika smiled sweetly at her, able to at last comfort the little girl. "Don't worry, we'll make it back in time for your play, we promise."

Jeri nodded. "You just get going, okay?"

"But… You guys don't even have your Digimon…" She mumbled, her lower lip trembling.

Ryo was studying his Digivice. "I don't think it's very strong. The D-Ark is hardly even registering it."

"See?" Takato added, "We'll be back before you know it, just as soon as we check this out."

Suzie sighed as Rinchei took her into the car. She stared out the window in sorrow as her friends all ran off to find the Digital Field that was just appearing. They'd be there in time… They had to be…

_So off Suzie went to finally perform in her play,_

_But it would mean nothing if her friends weren't there for her big day._

* * *

_The Tamers all dashed down the snow-covered streets._

_They had to find the Digimon and get to their seats._

"The Digital Field should be just around this corner!" Takato yelled, his goggles over his eyes. The other Tamers, even Kazu and Kenta, wore tinted glasses to help them see, Kenta's being larger so they could fit over his glasses.

Indeed, there was a small Digital Field in the front of the park, sitting there calmly like the snow on the ground. The Tamers all nodded to one another before running through the fog and removed their goggles/glasses.

They all gasped to see little Digimon, blinking and frowning.

"What're we doing here?" Asked a Botomon.

"Where _is_ here?" An almost transparent YukimiBotomon cried, looking around in fear.

A Punimon's large eyes spied pine trees. "They're like the ones in the Digital World!" He squeaked.

Chibimon looked to the ground. "And there's snow!"

Yuramon and Tsubamon gasped as Zurumon leaped into the air. "And there's fog! It's a Digital Field! We're in the Real World!"

It was then that they noticed the Tamers.

"What are those?"

"They're humans, you idiot!"

"Humans?"

"I've never seen one!"

"Wow!"

"Th-they're scary!"

"No, they're cool!"

The Tamers just stood there until the little Digimon bounced up to them, grinning happily. The Yuramon was in the back while the Tsubamon jumped excitedly at Takato's feet.

"Hi, hi, hi!"

The little baby Digimon smiled at the humans happily and, hesitantly, they picked them up.

"They're… so little…" Takato's voice came softly as Tsubamon grinned at him.

Henry looked at the Punimon blinking at him and sudden memories of Terriermon stabbed him when the little red blob smiled. Rika tried not to make eye contact with the Chibimon while Jeri bit her lip when YukimiBotomon snuggled closer to her. Ryo slowly patted Botomon as it blinked at him, while Kazu watched Zurumon get very comfy in his arms and Kenta petted the frightened Yuramon.

"What are we going to do with them?" The black-green haired boy asked as he stared at the ball of fur/hair in his arms.

"We don't know how to get them back to the Digital World." Came Henry's uneasy voice. "Let's get to the school and ask my dad if they can find a way after the play."

The others nodded solemnly, the sudden reminder of their partners hard to bare. It had come before, but never like this… They all walked out of the Digital Field, each of them carrying one of the little Digimon. The field dissipated in a moment as they started running to get to the play on time.

* * *

Suzie moaned in her costume. She walked around, pacing nervously. She didn't need to help others into their costumes because she was the youngest there, and Rinchei was taking care of her stage hand duties so she could look over her lines one last time.

Jaarin was also backstage for a moment, telling the costume management where to put the other versions of Suzie's costume she would need to change into between the acts. She'd already practiced dressing and undressing in the other costume she had, so she could get out of one and into another in two minutes or less. Her first costume had been wrecked, but that rendered the other ones useless with her sister's version having to be used. Of course, Jaarin had done a wonderful job on all of them, but… The color scheme…

Suzie wasn't nervous about having to perform (okay, a little bit); she was nervous that her friends wouldn't get there in time. She wanted more than anything for Henry and the other Tamers to see her perform. Well… She also wanted someone else here, but she knew that was impossible.

_Lopmon…_ Suzie never understood why she had to go. No one bothered to explain it to her. Either that, or they didn't want to tell her as not to make her sadder. If only her friend could be there…

Suzie felt a hand touch her costumed head; the thing seemed to absorb her, actually. She looked up to see Jaarin smiling at her. Rinchei was standing next to her.

"We have to go now, Suzie." Jaarin said softly, kneeling down. "Don't worry, you'll do fine."

Suzie gave her an unconvincing smile and her older sister hugged her. The girl frowned slightly, but let Rinchei lift her up after Jaarin let go.

"Now, you just go out there and put your heart into it, okay? You've worked hard, you'll be awesome." He grinned.

"Thanks, Rinchei, Jaarin." She said.

"FIVE MINUTES TO SHOWTIME!" A voice called.

"That's our cue." Rinchei nodded, waving good bye to his sister.

Suzie sighed when they left. Time to get in position, no more worrying.

* * *

The Tamers found themselves at the school, watching as people gave them odd looks as they passed (probably because of the "stuffed animals" in their arms), with only a minute to spare. They rushed through the doors and to the auditorium, stopping at the ticket-taker.

"Do you have your tickets?" He asked in a bored tone.

The Tamers exchanged glances. They forgot to get them from the Wongs before they left. As if on cue, Mr. Wong walked into view from the open auditorium.

"I have them right here, sir. They left without them, you see."

"Of course." The bored voice answered. "Go on in."

The teens gave Mr. Wong grateful smiles as he looked questioningly at the little Digimon in their arms.

"Hello!" Tsubamon cried.

Takato covered his mouth quickly. "Hush!" He then added to the blue haired man, "We'll discuss it later," in an exasperated tone.

He nodded as he led them to a row toward the front as the lights began to dim and a voice announced that everyone be seated. "You're just in time," He whispered as everyone sat down.

Mr. and Mrs. Wong were sitting on the end respectively, followed by Jaarin and Rinchei. Henry took a seat next to his brother and when Jeri sat down one seat away from him, Takato quickly claimed the seat in between. Rika sat next to Jeri, and, as if it was a huge conspiracy (Kazu and Kenta), Ryo was seated next to her with the Dynamic Duo snickering next to them. Rika gave him a sharp look and a shrugging surrender answered her. She sighed and shook her head. Her leg accidentally brushed against his and she was thankful the lights were incredibly dark as her face turned a light red.

The curtains opened and a spotlight was on a small girl in a very familiar costume. The Tamers were all stunned. There was Suzie, sitting in a large stocking that huge from a mantle (they could only guess it was welded to the mantle so it wouldn't break), in a very furry rabbit costume that had very obvious seams. But this wasn't any rabbit costume, no, it looked almost exactly like Lopmon, right down to the pink stripes on the ears. Instead of the triangles on her chest, there were spots of pink on the chocolate body. The girl stayed very still and held a small sprig of holly. A barely teenage girl in red and green standing at a podium on the side of the stage started to speak.

"There was once a velveteen rabbit." She began.

((Disclaimer: I do not own the classic book The Velveteen Rabbit. I am merely making a play version of it very similar to the book adaptation by Margery Williams.))

"She sat in the stocking of the Boy who would receive her on Christmas morning. There were other toys in the stocking,"

As she said this, children in other toy-like costumes appeared out a trapdoor on the floor, one as a wind-up mouse, and one as a toy engine, and one even as a bar of chocolate.

"But the Boy loved the Velveteen Rabbit." The girl continued. A boy who looked at least three years older than Suzie came out and smiled in delight at her. He lifted her out of the stocking (he was a tall, strong boy) and hugged her tightly. "For two hours, he loved her continuously, but then Aunts and Uncles came to dinner and in the excitement of the new presents, the poor Velveteen Rabbit was forgotten."

In the background, people who were as old as the girl or older came walking in, bringing colored boxes. The boy grinned in excitement and put Suzie down on the ground, running to them instead. The spotlight shone brighter on Suzie as people talked and laughed at a make-shift table.

"That's all right." She said, looking at the audience. "I'll be patient. I'm sure the Boy will come soon."

But another girl, the oldest one in the play (perhaps almost as old as the Tamers (they suspected some students from their school had volunteered to be in the play)), scooped Suzie up as the scene shifted and people walked on and off. Suzie was placed in the middle of the stage as the background was slowly rolled off and a new one came on showing a playroom. There were children dressed as boats and animals and trains and all sorts of fancy toys, while Suzie was just sitting looking quiet and shy.

"I'm a fancy model boat," said one of the new, shiny boats.

"Well, I'm better than you are!" Cried one of the older ones. "I was modeled after an old ship from a war." It boasted.

"Well, I was made by the Government!"

"Lied Timothy the lion," the girl on the podium put in. "He was made by disabled soldiers."

"Oh, I'm too shy to say anything." Suzie sighed to the audience. "I'm not modeled after anything or made by the Government! And I'm filled with sawdust. No one likes sawdust."

The toys all got up as the stage went dark. Only the voice of the narrator was heard.

"Only the old Skin Horse was kind to the Velveteen Rabbit."

The scene showed Suzie leaning on the Skin Horse, an older boy (and probably another one for the back) dressed in a horse costume and put on a board. The board was where Suzie was leaning. He had brown fur, but bald in a few places and had very few hairs in the tale.

"He'd lived in the nursery the longest. He was wise and had seen all the mechanical toys boast and swagger, only to eventually break and pass away. He knew they would never be Real, that they were only toys, and the nursery magic would never touch them."

"What is **Real**?" Suzie asked the Skin Horse. "Does it have things that buss inside you and a stick-out handle?"

The Skin Horse looked down at her and spoke in a soft wise voice. "Real isn't how you are made. It's a thing that happens to you. When a child loves you for a long, long time, not just to play with, but REALLY loves you, then you become Real."

"Does it hurt?" Suzie asked in an innocent voice.

"Sometimes," said the Skin Horse. "When you are Real, you don't mind being hurt."

Suzie looked at him with a curious face. "Does it happen all at once, like being wound up, or bit by bit?"

"It doesn't happen all at once. You become. It takes a long time. That's why it doesn't often happen to people who break easily or have sharp edges or who have to be carefully kept. Generally, by the time you are Real, most of your hair has been loved off, and your eyes drop out and you get loose in the joints and very shabby." The Skin Horse explained. Suzie gave a fearful look. "But these things don't matter at all, because once you are Real you can't be ugly, except to people who don't understand."

"I suppose you are Real?"

"The Velveteen Rabbit immediately felt bad. What if the Skin Horse wasn't Real? Would he get sad?" The narrator said.

"The Boy's Uncle made me Real," The Skin Horse smiled. "That was a great many years ago; but once you become Real you can't become unreal again. It lasts for always."

Suzie sighed and then looked at the audience. "I really want to be Real, but it will take a really long time to happen to me." She frowned. "I want to know what it feels like to be Real, but I don't want to lose my eyes and whiskers and look shabby. I really want to become Real, but I wish that didn't have to happen."

The lights dimmed again and there were shifts and now it showed the Boy in a bedroom, sitting in a small bed with his arms crossed on the right side of the stage. The background showed a hallway in the center and the playroom on the left side. Suzie was sitting against the wall in a cupboard-like thing with other kids in toy outfits next to her, still in the same position. The girl who had scooped Suzie up in the beginning was back, in a nanny outfit complete with a gray wig.

"Where's my China Dog!" The Boy cried.

"The Boy couldn't find his favorite toy, but the person called Nana, the ruler of the nursery, didn't have time to look for it. She walked to the far side of the stage and picked up Suzie, dragging her along by one ear.

"Here," she said, handing Suzie to the boy. "Take your old Bunny! She'll do to sleep with you!" She handed Suzie to the Boy and the Boy looked at her for a second before hugging her tightly.

"And so," a new voice came, a boy this time, from the opposite podium, "for this night and many nights after, the Velveteen Rabbit slept in the Boy's bed. At first she didn't like it, for the Boy would hug her so tightly," the Boy squeezed Suzie as he "slept" and she squirmed, "and sometimes she would be smothered by the pillows," suddenly, pillows dropped from above, all of them hitting Suzie while she just sat on the bed, trying to be calm, "and other times she would even be pushed off to the floor," Suzie fell off the bed, "but always hugged in the morning."

"I miss the Skin Horse," Suzie said from the floor to the audience, "and I miss the moonlight hours in the nursery."

The lights dimmed again.

"But soon," the male narrator continued, "the Velveteen Rabbit grew to like it, for the Boy would talk to her," the Boy talked in hushed tones to Suzie, who was now back on the bed, "and made nice long tunnels for her under the bedclothes that he said were like the burrows real rabbits lived in."

Suzie and the Boy were seen on stage again, but the bedroom is gone. They are in a garden now. Suzie's costume was different now. The fur looked duller and the tail was shabby and her pink nose paint was gone.

"The Rabbit loved this, but didn't notice as she became shabbier and shabbier. Spring came, however, and the Boy would take the Rabbit out with him into the garden to play."

Now Suzie was now being pushed through a wheelbarrow.

"They would have picnics,"

Suzie was picked up and put on a blanket where there was a little picnic basket. The Boy and Suzie sit there for a while, the Boy talking to her softly.

"And the Boy built lovely fairy huts for the Rabbit under the raspberry canes behind the flower border. Once, the Boy was called away suddenly to go to tea, and the Velveteen Rabbit was forgotten."

Suzie sat in the garden alone, staring forlornly after the Boy as he left. The lights slowly grew darker as she sat.

"Oh, I wish the Boy would come back soon."

The female narrator started again, "But the Boy didn't remember the Velveteen Rabbit until bedtime, and sent Nana out to get her."

Nana walked out on to the stage.

"The Rabbit was wet with dew and very dirty." As Nana picked Suzie up, she turned her away from the audience and when she turned back, her costume was all dirty and wet.

The stage dimmed for a moment and they were back in the Boy's room. Nana walked in with Suzie and began whipping the dirt off before giving her to him. "You must have your old Bunny!" She cried. "Fancy all that fuss for a toy!"

The Boy sat up in bed and stretched out his hands. "Give me my Bunny! You mustn't say that. She isn't a toy. She's REAL!"

Suzie gasped softly and Nana gave her to the Boy. He hugged her and the lights dimmed. Nana left and the Boy closed his eyes. Suzie sat up and looked out at the audience.

"I'm Real!" She cried. "The nursery magic made me Real at last! I'm so happy, I think I'm going to burst! My eyes may be dim and my nose may be black and my fur may be shabby, but I'm Real, I'm Real!"

The stage darkened.

"Summer came." The female narrator said.

The lights came on to show a new set of summer this time, with woods and a large grass patch. Suzie sat in the shadow of some hand-crafted plants while the Boy ran around.

"The Boy and the Velveteen Rabbit would play even more in the long evenings. After tea, the Boy would go play in the trees and pick flowers and the Velveteen Rabbit would be put in a little nest the Boy would make in the shadow of the raspberry cane. The ants would craw around her and she was very happy."

The Boy ran off stage now.

The male narrator continued. "One day, two creatures came up to the Velveteen Rabbit."

Two other rabbits come out, in complete brown, but they look more real and their seams are hard to be seen. They jumped and hopped about.

Suzie frowned and looked at the audience. "Well, that's odd. I can't see their seams and they look very new. They keep changing shape too. One moment they're long and thing, and then they're fat and bunchy!

"And then they twitch their noses and jump! Where's their clockwork? I can't see their wind-up! They are really a new kind of rabbit!"

She looked back at the rabbits and the walked up to her. One of them asked, "Why don't you get up and play with us?"

"I don't feel like it," Suzie responded, looking down.

"She didn't want to explain she didn't have clockwork." The female narrator said.

"Ho!" The other rabbit cried. "It's as easy as anything." He hopped. "I don't believe you can!"

"I can!" Suzie retorted angrily. "I can jump higher than anything!"

The female narrator added, "Of course, this was only when the Boy throw her."

"Can you hop on your hind legs?" The first rabbit asked.

"I don't want to!" Suzie yelled. She looked very fearful and anxious.

But the rabbit walked up to her and stretched out his head. "She hasn't got any hind legs! Fancy a rabbit without any hind legs!" They began to laugh at her.

"I have!" Suzie cried. "I have got hind legs! I am sitting on them!"

"Then stretch them out and show me, like this!" The wild rabbit said, dancing and whirling until Suzie looked dizzy.

""I don't like dancing," she said. "I'd rather sit still!" She then looked at the audience, "I really want to dance and twirl like they do! Why can't I?" She focused on the wild rabbits again.

The wild rabbit stopped dancing and came so close his whiskers were touching the Rabbit's ear (Henry thought he was going to kiss his sister and almost jumped on to the stage). He then flew backward.

"She doesn't smell right! She isn't a rabbit at all! She isn't Real!" The wild rabbit cried to his companion. The other gasped.

"I _am_ Real!" Suzie said. "I am Real! The Boy said so!" She looked like she was going to cry.

The Boy ran across the stage, making the wild rabbits run on all-fours.

"Come back and play with me!" Suzie called. "Oh, do come back! I _know_ I am Real!"

Suzie looked at the audience a moment later. "Oh, dear! Why did they run away like that? Why couldn't they stop and talk to me? I hope they come back, I really do!"

The lights darkened.

"But the wild rabbits never did." Said the male narrator. "And the Boy carried the Velveteen Rabbit home.

The scene opened in the Boy's bedroom and the Boy was playing with Suzie, taking her in his arms and giving her tea. She was now in an even older looking costume, she wasn't fuzzy anymore and it hardly looked like a rabbit. The pink ears were grey and the spots were fading.

"Weeks passed and the Rabbit grew shabbier and old, but the Boy didn't care. When you're Real, it doesn't matter if you're shabby."

Then, the lighting went red and Nana came and put the Boy in bed, Suzie following and sitting on the end.

The female narrator continued, "And then the Boy was ill."

The Boy coughed and Nana walked up to him, shielding him from the audience. He was slightly red when she left, and the red spotlight shone on him.

Suzie looked back out at the audience as kids in doctor outfits walked on the stage and poked and examined the Boy. "Now the Boy is really warm and sick. All these strange people come in and we can never play anymore. I still stay here under the bedclothes, because if they see me, they may take me away from the Boy, and he needs me."

"The Boy was sick for a long time. He would hug the Rabbit and whisper in her ear all the wonderful things he had planned for when he got better. But the Rabbit missed the days when they would play so much."

The other narrator continued. "But, the Boy began to get better and look at picture books with the Velveteen Rabbit. And then, one day, they let the Boy get out of bed."

The red lights disappeared and the Boy climbed out of bed while Nana draped a shawl around his shoulders. They walked over to a part of the stage that was made like a balcony.

"The Boy would go to the seaside tomorrow and the room would have to be disinfected, and all the books and toys he played with would be burned."

Suzie looked at the audience, her head now only visible as she was covered in covers. "The Boy is finally better, and tomorrow they said tomorrow we will go to the seaside! We'll make sandcastles and see the big waves and tiny crabs!"

Nana looked at Suzie, who was now staring at the ceiling. "How about this old Bunny?" She asked the doctor.

"_That_?" The doctor almost gagged. "Why, it's a mess of scarlet fever germs!—Burn it at once!"

"But the Boy loves it so!" Nana gasped, looking at the oblivious boy.

"What? Nonsense! Get him a new one. He mustn't have it anymore!"

The scene darkened and when the light came back on, Suzie was in a sack in the middle of a dark clearing.

The female narrator stared talking. "The Rabbit was taken with picture books and other rubbish to be burned behind the chicken house in the garden. The gardener had potatoes to dig and green peas to gather, but promised to burn everything in the morning.

"The Boy slept in a new room and he had a white plush bunny to sleep with, with real glass eyes, but the Boy was too excited about the seaside to care much about it. He was told his old bunny was lost."

Suzie had wriggled out of the sack and looked at the audience as the rest of the stage dampened and the spotlight shone on her. "I miss the Boy!" She cried, shivering slightly. "I miss being hugged in the night, and I miss our adventures together!" She saw the raspberry cane on the far side of the stage. "Oh, it's the raspberry cane, where I would spend my time while the Boy was playing! I miss him, I miss everything! I remember all the good times I had! I remember the ants, the quiet evenings, and the day I found out I am Real!" She sniffled. "I miss the Skin Horse and I miss the nursery and even those stuffy mechanical toys! Why do I have to lose my beauty and become Real it all ends like this?"

Then a small tear trickled down Suzie's cheek and onto the stage. From a trapdoor in the floor, a very real-looking flower sprouted and grew and Suzie stared at it in wonder. From the trapdoor came a little younger than Nana. She was dressed in all white and had flowers lining her dress and in her hair. There were sparkles in her hair and on her skin, so when the spotlight shone on her, it made the entire room shine with the reflection. She kneeled down and picked up Suzie, cuddling her to her chest softly.

"Little Rabbit," she said, "don't you know who I am?"

Suzie looked at her face and stayed silent.

"I am the nursery magic Fairy." She said. "I take care of all the playthings that e children have loved. When they are old and worn out and the children don't need them any more, then I come and take them away with me and turn them into Real."

"Wasn't I Real before?" Suzie asked the Fairy.

"You were Real to the Boy," the Fairy said, "because he loved you. Now you shall be real to everyone."

And she held Suzie close to her as the scene darkened. It opened with many wild rabbits dancing. However, they weren't dancing to nothing ((Please forgive this, this is one of the humor moments of the story)). They were dancing to the song "Move It", all of them spinning and twisting. The audience chuckled softly at this, but quieted soon after.

((I don't own the song "Move It". I got this idea from the movie Madagascar. I couldn't help it.))

The Fairy glided in, just a few inches off the ground (the Tamers suspected she was lifted with a harness, and they were right) with the Velveteen Rabbit hidden in her arms.

"I brought you a new playfellow," the Fairy said. "You must be very king to her and teach her all she needs to know in Rabbitland, for she is going to live with you forever and ever!" She hugged Suzie closer, making her already difficult-to-see body almost invisible. She set Suzie down and now everyone could see she had a costume like the other rabbits, except she had faint pink spots and stripes on her ears. "Run and play, little Rabbit!"

Suzie just sat there, very still.

"The Rabbit didn't know she was now Real." Said the male narrator. "She would've sat there forever if her arm didn't start to itch."

Suzie reach her leg up and scratched her arm with it (this must have taken a long time to be able to do, Henry guessed). She gasped and looked at herself. She had hind legs! She was Real to everyone now! She began dancing with the other Rabbits and the Fairy slowly slipped off stage as Suzie grinned excitedly.

The stage darkened.

"Autumn passed and Winter, and in the Spring, when days grew warm and sunny, they Boy went out to play in the woods behind the house."

The Boy ran across the stage as the woods background was in place. He stopped when he saw two rabbits, one of them a brown one, the other Suzie. He frowned.

"That rabbit looks familiar." He said, staring at her for a moment before gasping. "Why, she looks just like my old Bunny that was lost when I had scarlet fever!"

"But he never knew it was his Bunny," the female narrator said, "come back to look at the child who had first helped him to be Real."

"Oh, thank you, Boy, thank you." Suzie said to the audience softly. "Because of you, I now know what it really is like to be Real."

The curtain closed and the audience all started clapping, none harder than the Wongs and the Tamers. The little baby Digimon had gotten so wrapped up in the story that they were whooping and cheering with the audience, squeaking for more. No one noticed, thankfully. Kazu even gave a loud whistle. The clapping continued as the curtains opened and the cast came out, first the Uncles and Aunts, then the other toys of the nursery, then the doctor, then the wild rabbits, then the Skin Horse, the Nana, and then the Boy. Suzie was last, in her costume she'd been in at the end, and the applause grew louder when she bowed. A blush crept up onto her face as she heard the Tamers and her family yell, "Great job, Suzie!"

The play was finally over, and she'd done a great job. She couldn't be happier.

_Suzie's big day was indeed absolutely great,_

_But it turned out this week she had another fate._

* * *

Suzie, now in her normal clothes, twirled in the center of the Wong's living room while hugging her costumes close to her chest. She giggled and danced. Roses sat on the table, a gift from her family, as well as a few individual flowers from the other Tamers and members of the audience who had loved her performance. The baby Digimon had been explained to Suzie and they currently were watching her dance, bouncing along with her.

"Wasn't I wonderful, Henry?" She asked her brother, grinning at the couch where he sat with Takato and Jeri.

Henry gave her a weak smile. "Yeah, you were great." He was still reeling at the discovery of Digimon in the Real World. How had they gotten through the barrier? They were only babies, but they were somehow able to get through. And Terriermon… Just the thought of the sarcastic dog-rabbit made his good mood go sour. The last thing his partner had told him was "Momentai." _'Take it easy'? _He laughed in his head. It was a bitter laugh. _I never thought you'd be telling that to _me_, Terriermon. At least not under such extreme circumstances… Why couldn't you come back, Terriermon?_

Takato was thinking about the same subject, but along different lines. _If Digimon are able to Big-Emerge again, how are we going to fight them? What happens if stronger ones get through next time? And why didn't Guilmon come back? If babies were able to get through, he should be too, right? … Maybe it's because I didn't keep my promise to him… Maybe he thinks I don't want him anymore… Maybe he doesn't want _me _anymore…_

The boy gripped his pant legs hard, but tried to smile. He didn't want to feel this way during the holidays, but… It was hard not to after such a surprising and troubling event. He felt a hand on his leg, and he turned to his right to see Jeri, smiling at him. It was her little way of saying everything would be okay. He smiled back, remembering she was probably hurting the most.

Jeri's knew her eyes told Takato everything he needed to know. She was reminded of Leomon, and while it may have not been obvious to everyone else, Takato knew. He always knew what she was thinking; that's why they were so close. That's why she…

Jeri inwardly shook her head. She shoved the thoughts aside, even the nagging memories of Leomon. She couldn't keep thinking of them right now. If she did, she would just break down. She couldn't think about any of it, because she knew Leomon wasn't coming back, and she knew she couldn't get sad again. Leomon wouldn't want that. She knew this, but... But knowing it didn't make it any easier.

Rika leaned on the doorframe, eyes closed and arms crossed. The other Tamers had taken the hint that meant she was deep in thought. It wasn't like she wanted to come off rude, but many times when they'd tried to interrupt her like this, they'd received not-too-kind words and/or a black eye (that normally was given to Kazu or Kenta). She didn't know what to make of the baby Digimon Bio-Emerging, except that she didn't like it. She liked Digimon, true, but she couldn't help but feel disappointed that Renamon hadn't come through. Deep in her mind, when the D-Arks had started going off, she hoped that it would be Renamon and the other Digimon waiting there for them. But that was just a little dream. It would be all too perfect if the Digimon Bio-Emerged just six days before Christmas.

Ryo sat in a chair on the far side of the room. He didn't want to make it obvious that he was watching Rika, but, well, it was. He, like the others, was thinking about the Bio-Emergence earlier that day. He wondered how the others were taking it. It appeared pretty hard, of course, but why wouldn't they be? To be reminded of their partners, plus the thought that more Digimon may start Bio-Emerging soon? Too crazy. He missed his partner as well, but his main concern was that if Cyberdramon _did _Bio-Emerge, how would he control him? The presence of Millenniummon (1) would destroy everything. If his partner Bio-Emerged (even though he wanted him too), he may have to just go back to the Digital World with him… Or maybe Cyberdramon had become tamer in the three years he'd been away… Maybe…

Kazu was sitting next to the T.V. He bit his lip as he looked at the baby Digimon. Man, things were getting hectic with them around. They were deathly cute, sure, but the memories of their partners had been driving the older Tamers crazy, him included. Guardromon was his partner, and he missed him to death. He'd never realized how much he did until today. He still remembered the first time he met him, by the lake in the Digital World. At first he was Andromon, but a strong hit from Orochimon sent him back to Champion level. Kazu didn't want to leave the poor guy when everyone else went after Jeri; he was injured! Of course, Kazu never thought Guardromon would become his partner after the whole ordeal! He'd grown close to the Digimon, and when he saw his brown Digivice appear, he'd never been happier. After the Digimon were taken back to the Digital World, it had been hard to adjust to life without the giant metal guy, even if he hadn't had him for very long. _How could I have even forgotten about him?_ Kazu asked himself.

On the other side of the T.V. sat the last older Tamer. Kenta knew the other Tamers probably were taking this harder than he was. Heck, even Suzie had her Digimon before he did. But he was still a Tamer, and getting MarineAngemon meant the world to him. He even got to help out in the battle against the D-Reaper. He was finally a Tamer, and he could help out his friends in their greatest battle. MarineAngemon was so small and innocent, but he was a strong Mega, making Kenta feel proud to be his Tamer. Sometimes it felt like he held him back, but MarineAngemon would just smile at him and say a few words of encouragement. And now? With the baby Digimon here, he was only reminded of his friend. He just wanted MarineAngemon back now.

Suzie frowned at the other Tamers. "What's wrong with you guys?" She asked them. "You seem sad."

Henry quickly covered for all of them as they were all thrown from their thoughts. "We're just thinking, that's all."

Takato gave Henry a sideways look. _Pretty weak cover, Henry, _it told him.

Jeri smiled at Suzie and took out Puppet-chan. "We were just thinking about your wonderful play." Puppet-chan added, "You did great, Suzie, ruff! You should be an actress!"

Suzie blushed. "N-no, really, I wasn't all _that_ good…"

"Are you kiddin', kid?" Kazu was now standing next to the little girl. "You were the light of the play! I swear, when some of those other kids started talking, I thought I was going to fall asleep!"

"You were great!" Chirped the little Botomon, even though he didn't know the girl. His friends agreed.

Suzie loved the praise and attention, but something inside her kept telling her that something else was going on.

* * *

Henry waved good bye to Takato as he walked out the door, saying his parents would fry him if he didn't get home soon. His friend waved back before taking off down the hall and disappearing from sight. The last guest, Rika, sighed.

"I guess I should get going too. No point in sticking around if Suzie's not here, right?" She said, walking toward the door.

The young Tamer had gone out with her grandfather and sensei when he'd arrived. It turned out he _had_ seen the show, and Suzie was more than happy when he offered to take her out for a celebratory dinner.

Rika paused for a moment before leaving. She turned back to Henry. "If the snow clears up, you and your family are invited to a Christmas party on Christmas Eve in the resort just outside the city."

Henry raised his eyebrow. "When was this decided?"

Rika shrugged. "Mom said the Tamer party this year should be at a place a little more extravagant than one of our houses, I guess. I never got around to asking the others because of," she glanced at the sleeping baby Digimon, all nestled on the sofa, "well, you know."

Henry nodded understandingly. "You want me to call the other Tamers and tell them?"

Rika shook her head. "No, I'll do it myself. I don't know how Ai and Mako are going to get here, but I'll still try. Suzie seemed a little depressed when they couldn't make it."

Henry nodded. "Yeah, she's really become good friends with them." He frowned. "However, I don't like the way she looks at Mako…"

The Fox Tamer chuckled at Henry's brotherly love.

"She's only eight!" The blue-haired boy retorted. He then calmed himself. "Seriously, you don't need any help calling anyone? I mean, Christmas is only in six days, almost five, and you still have shopping to do, right?" He added in an undertone, "That and I don't know if you have Ryo's number." Since the boy was staying at a hotel, it kind of understood if the red head couldn't contact him.

Rika rolled her eyes. "Trust me, I have it." She glared when Henry gave her a surprised look. "The moron practically shoved it in my hands when we saw him yesterday. Said it was 'incase I wanted to talk to him'." She scoffed. "He gives himself too much credit."

"Why do you always insult him?" Henry questioned, giving her a puzzled look. "You two could get along great if you weren't always at each other's throats." _Well, that's a given._

Rika scowled. "He's too perfect. He always acts like he's so great, but really there are people out there that can kick his butt. And he just attaches himself to me when his around. It gets awkward, you know? Having someone constantly around you when you don't want them around and-"

"You like him, don't you?" Henry asked, amused.

"WHAT?!" Rika coughed. "I don't like that pompous jerk! And if I ever did, I swear to you that the Earth would fall off its axis!" She turned around, walking out the door. "I'll see you later." She threw a glare over her shoulder. "And don't spout off any of that nonsense again, got it?" As she was walking away, Henry could hear her grumbling softly, and he caught phrases like "that's just crazy" and "me and that idiot?!".

Henry closed the door and shook his head. "And that would be a yes."

* * *

_And while Henry was questioning his friend,_

_There was a thought that was bugging Suzie to no end._

Suzie sat at a table in a small restaurant with her grandfather, poking her food hesitantly.

"Suzie?" She looked up to see him staring at her. "You've been quiet. Is everything all right?"

She opened her mouth and, after a moment, began to speak. "I'm not sure." She looked back down for a second before gazing at her sensei's face. "The others… They seemed really sad after my play. Why?"

The eldest Wong frowned. "Yes, something _did_ seem off with your friends…" He looked thoughtfully at her. "It was almost like they'd lost their Christmas spirit."

"Christmas spirit?" Suzie asked naively.

"Why, yes." Sensei nodded. "They seemed sad and depressed. That's not like Christmas spirit at all."

Suzie's mind began to race and the gears in her head turned fast. To get her friends to be happy again, she needed to find their Christmas spirit… She didn't know what it was or where to look, but she would find it! No matter what!

_So Suzie put her thoughts to a good cause,_

_Even though she didn't know what Christmas spirit exactly was…_

* * *

A/N:

(1). Milleniummon... Now, this information is mostly true, but some is hodge-podged, as Ryo's history was never made completely clear. In Japan, Ryo stared in a number of Digimon video games in which Milleniummom was most often the enemy. In the end, Ryo discovered Milleniummom was his true partner and Monodramon forced a DNA Digivolve to stop him. A digi-egg was the result and Ryo was forced into the Real World with a swiss-cheesed memory (he originally came from the dimension with the Digidestined). I assume he was taken in. Cyberdramon Bio-Emerged the night he won the Digimon Card Tournament (yes, that one) and Ryo went into the Digi-World with him. I've assumed his memory's gotten better over time and he can remember some of Milleniummom, or at least to know he's a major threat. Once again, this whole thing is pieced together from information on the internet. I hope this pleases all those who devote their lives to these notes like me.

Next Time: What lengths will Suzie go to in order to get her friends' Christmas spirit back? Well, first she has to find out what it is! Join her as she attempts to discover the meaning of Christmas Spirit in the next chapter of _Digimon Tamers: What is Christmas Spirit, Anyway?_!


	3. Day 3

A/N: Here's the next installment. Well, this chapter is shorter than the last, but that's a bit of a given, considering the last one had the play. This is still a decent sized chapter nonetheless. My love of flashbacks starts to shine through in this chapter. What can I say?

Disclaimer: See chapter one.

* * *

_Five Days Until Christmas_

_"Takato, what's going on?"_ _Guilmon asked as he started to shrink._

_"Guilmon!" Takato stared in shock at his glowing Digimon. "What's happening?!"_

_"I don't know…" He answered, a pitiful look on his face._

_Takato watched as Guilmon grew smaller and smaller, De-Digivolving into Gigimon, his In-Training form. He held him tightly, spying Mr. Wong arriving with Suzie._

"_Mr. Wong, why are Guilmon and the others De-Digivolving?" He asked, clutching his friend._

_Henry question his dad the same thing, in an angrier tone. The man responded in an almost cryptic way, saying the Digimon had to go back to the Digital World or else they'd disappear. He said they were never meant for this world._

_Takato was now felt tears roll down his cheeks. "But Guilmon's meant to be with me! He's a part of me and I promised we'd always be together! I promise!"_

_He heard his friends yelling and crying as their Digimon did the same and slowly began to float away, but he couldn't really hear them. It was like he was in a void of silence, only him and Guilmon._

_"We'll play again soon," Gigimon said, snapping him out of his daze, "won't we, Takato?" He was already floating higher and higher, and Takato could barely keep his hold on him. It was time for his best friend to go… _

"_Yeah…" Through his tears, he nodded. "Yeah." He then let Gigimon float into the sky toward the portal with the other Digimon._

_He heard his friends' tearful farewells to their Digimon friends._

_"Guardromon, I love you, man!"_

"_MarineAngemon!"_

_"Bye, Cyberdramon!"_

_"Impmon, we'll miss you!"_

_"Thank you, Calumon."_

_"Lopmon, don't go!!"_

_Then came the final three calls from the last three Digimon._

_"Momentai, Henry!"_

_"Stay strong, Rika!"_

_"Remember, Takato, you promised! Takato…!"_

* * *

Takato shot out of his bed, a yell escaping his throat. He looked around to find his dark room, the Digimon figurines and card on his messy desk, his drawings scattered on the floor, and a picture he'd taken with Guilmon on his night-stand. Hot tears stung his eyes at the memory of his partner.

"Guilmon…"

_"Remember, Takato, you promised!"_

He gripped the bed sheets tightly, watching as they were dampened with his tears. "I know I did, boy… I know…"

* * *

Suzie got up early that morning, telling her parents she had to do some last minute Christmas shopping. They gave her some money and asked Jaarin to go with her. The 18-year-old girl frowned after they stepped outside their apartment and started walking to the West Shinjuku District mall.

"Okay, spill."

"Huh?" Suzie blinked.

Jaarin stopped, crossing her arms. "We already did all of our Christmas shopping together, remember? I took you around and we got everything on the list. We even got the presents for the other Tamers." She gave her sister a searching look. "Why are you _really_ going out?"

Suzie sighed. She didn't answer the question, and instead asked a question of her own. "What's Christmas spirit?"

Jaarin was taken aback from the question. "Christmas spirit?"

"Yeah, the older Tamers seemed to have lost their Christmas spirit, so I want to find it for them. I want to get it back." Suzie explained.

Jaarin chuckled at Suzie's question. "Suzie, Christmas spirit isn't something you can find."

"Why not?"

"Because, Suzie, Christmas spirit isn't something you can hold like a present; it's inside of us all."

Suzie blinked. "But, Jaarin, how am I supposed to get it back if I can't hold it?"

Jaarin sighed. "Suzie, you can't _give_ someone Christmas spirit, they have to get it for themselves. And it's different for some people."

Suzie frowned sadly. "But… I want to make them happy again."

Jaarin ruffled Suzie's hair. "That's sweet, Suzie, but you can't give them Christmas spirit if you don't know what's making them sad in the first place." She took her hand. "Now, how about I buy you some ice cream, okay?"

Suzie smiled slightly, but was still determined to get her friend's Christmas spirit back.

* * *

Suzie sat on a bench in the mall while Jaarin was getting ice cream from the stand. It turned out it was a really long line. Go figure. It was then that Suzie spotted a very familiar red-haired girl, trudging through the mall and grumbling as she carried bag after bag. She sat down in a chair in the food court and groaned, dropping the bags at her feet. Suzie smiled. Maybe if she found out what the others thought of Christmas spirit, it could help her to find it for them!

She half-ran, half-skipped over to Rika sporting a toothy grin. Her eyes spied a cell-phone being withdrawn from her pocket and curiously stopped, listening closely as she started talking.

"Uh, hi, Mr. Akiyama, is Ryo there?" Rika asked into the phone.

Suzie blinked. _Ryo? _Why was she calling him?

"Yeah, yeah, don't get any ideas, Akiyama," Rika's tough voice said, signaling she'd started talking to the boy. "I'm just inviting you and your dad to the resort outside the city for the Tamer party." Another pause. "The _Tamer _party, you dolt! That means no, I'm _not_ inviting just you!" She scoffed. "Please, I was almost ready to not invite you all together, but the others wouldn't be happy about that, would they?" There was another pause and Rika's face slowly turned red. "I would not! You better stop jumping to your stupid conclusions or I'll-!" Suzie could only guess Ryo had cut her off. She sighed and rolled her eyes. "Yeah, sure, see you there…" The girl hung up the phone and shook her head. "Idiot…"

Suzie took this time to show herself. "Hi, Rika!" She said, making the rest of the way there. "Who were you talking with?" It wouldn't hurt to pretend, would it?

Rika cracked a smile. "No one that's important." She moved a bag and let Suzie sit down next to her. "What are you doing here today? Didn't you already do your shopping?"

Suzie dawdled for only a moment. "Jaarin's getting ice cream over there." She pointed at her sister, still in the long line. "And what about you?"

Rika gestured to the bags around her. "Would you believe my mom has a photo shoot five days before Christmas? And since my grandmother had to get things at the resort ready, I'm stuck with all the Christmas shopping, even if it's for Mom!" She reached into one of the bags and withdrew a small white teddy bear from it. "She even handed me this in a small bag by mistake. And guess what? She got it for me, too." Her face twisted into an annoyed and angry frown.

Suzie reached out to touch it slowly and, when she did, in a high-pitched squeal of a voice, it yelled, "SHINY!"

Rika's ears twitched in annoyance. "You see my problem?" She then remembered her words from earlier and added, "You, uh, do know about the resort, right?"

Suzie nodded enthusiastically. "Yep! Henry told me about it last night! I can't wait until Christmas Eve! It sounds great!" She looked at the older girl curiously. "Do you think the baby Digimon could come too?"

Rika felt a pang of sadness as the baby Digimon entered her mind, followed by Renamon. Her face turned downcast for an instant, but then she put on a forced smile. She couldn't get Suzie sad, could she? "Of course they can. I'm sure Mom wouldn't mind."

Suzie smiled back, moving her little feet back and forth. She then tilted her head to the side. "Rika, what's Christmas spirit?"

"Where did this come from?" Rika asked, raising one eyebrow.

"I've just been wondering it for a while."

There was a pregnant pause before Rika answered, "Christmas spirit is a feel of happiness you get around this time of year. It makes you feel warm inside and you want to help others."

"Where do you get it from?" Suzie questioned.

"From things that make you happy, I guess. Like family and friends." Rika responded.

Suzie was about to ask more, but Jaarin's voice suddenly called over, "Suzie! Suzie, I have the ice cream!"

Suzie sighed as she and Rika stood up. "I'd better get going too," The older Tamer said, looking warily at the bags around her. "More shopping. Yay me."

Suzie chuckled at Rika's sarcastic tone and then waved good bye, running over to Jaarin. She now had more to go on, but she needed a bit more. Then she'd be able to find out where to find her friends' Christmas spirit.

* * *

While walking out of the mall, Suzie just happened to spy Kazu, walking down the opposite side of the street with a bag under his arm. _Perfect!_ Suzie checked to make sure there were no cars going by and ran across the street, making poor Jaarin scream in fright. Suzie took the last three steps as leaps as she landed right in front of Kazu.

"Hiya, Kazu!" She cried, grinning from ear to ear as the boy jumped back in fright.

"Where'd you come from?!" He heard another shriek from Jaarin and turned to see the older sister yelling at Suzie for scaring her so much. "Oh…"

Suzie beamed up at Kazu, her grin becoming lop-sided. "Whatchya doin'?"

"Um, last minute parent shopping?" He said, gesturing to the bag he was holding.

Suzie started walking with him, except she was moving backwards in front of him so she could look him in the eye.

"Are you sure you should be doing that?" The visor boy asked cautiously. Get Suzie hurt and mess with her older brother. Who knew kung-fu. And occasionally could turn into a giant green armored rabbit-dog thing.

Suzie ignored his query, noticing Jaarin was coming across the street. "What's Christmas spirit? Where do you get it from?"

Kazu blinked. "Well that's an odd question," he muttered. "Christmas spirit is just the happiness you feel around Christmas. It's this thing that makes you want to do happy things and smile. You know; that stuff."

"Where do you get it?" Suzie asked again.

"Ummm…" Kazu frowned. Where _did_ you get it from? Then his eyes lit up. Light bulb! "You get it from all the other people feeling happy around you. Someone starts feeling jolly, and then it's contagious!"

"Where do they get it from?" Suzie wasn't letting up.

"Why, from getting to see their friends and family, of course!" Kazue grinned. He was good at this! "They see everyone they haven't seen in a long time, and they just can't help but be happy!"

Jaarin arrived at just that moment. "Suzie! What are you trying to do, give me a heart attack?!" She took the purple-haired girl by the hand. She waved good bye to Kazu and started the other way, toward their house. "Sorry for causing you so much trouble."

Kazu shook his head. "Naw, the little girl's cute when she asks questions like that. See you on Christmas Eve!" He gave a wave before taking off down the street.

"Questions?" Jaarin looked down at her sister. "Suzie, what are you doing now?"

Suzie could only smile. One more person…

* * *

Takato sighed as he walked down the street, kicking a can outside the bakery with his hands in his pockets. Why did he have to be reminded of Guilmon now? It was Christmas for crying out loud! Well, almost. Now was a time when he should be concentrating on all he had and his friends and his family and … Jeri…

The goggled-headed boy continued to walk down the street, so lost in his thoughts that he didn't notice a little girl come running up the sidewalk, not looking where she was going either.

SLAM!

Takato staggered back, the little girl not being strong enough to knock him over. She, however, fell flat on her rear with a yell. Takato gasped when he realized the girl was, in fact, Suzie.

"Ah, Suzie!" He cried, kneeling down and pulling her to her feet. He dusted her off and checked to see if she was hurt. "Sorry, sorry, I wasn't looking."

Suzie stood there, blinking back a few tears from the sting of the fall. She, however, then smiled happily. _Ah ha!_ "I-it's no problem, Takato!" He stood up and patted her on the head. She frowned. "You look different, Takato. Are you sad?"

Takato hastily smiled and started chuckling nervously. "Who, me? Of course not!"

Suzie's frown deepened. "Really?"

Takato's shoulders sagged and he let out a sigh. "I guess I'm just thinking of Guilmon." He looked to the sky, his soul a thousand miles away. "All the times we had together and all the things we did and … my promise… He's my best friend, but I haven't seen him in so long." Takato suddenly looked down at Suzie and smiled. "Heh, I'm just getting a little too emotional, I think." The smile… It wasn't real…

"Oh, Suzie!" Suzie cringed. She had, once again, run away from Jaarin. The girl was going to be a nervous wreck by the time this was done, seriously. "You stay put, young lady!"

Takato looked at the older girl and then back at the purple-haired one. "You're causing your sister trouble again, huh?"

Suzie grinned sheepishly as Jaarin caught up to her. "Suzie! Stop running off! Do I need a leash for you?"

Suzie let out a high-pitched squeak. "Eeep! N-no!"

A hard look hit Suzie's eyes. "Then you will walk with me the whole way home. No more stops."

Suzie sighed. She'd have to continue her quest tomorrow, then. "All right…" Her sister started to take her home by the hand, but with her free hand, she waved good bye to Takato. "I hope you feel better soon, Takato!"

Takato waved back, blinking at the sight that had just passed him by. He turned around and shook his head. "She's growing up, that girl is…"

And he started on his way home.

* * *

Jaarin and Suzie stood in the elevator to their apartment. They'd been out for a long while; lunch had already passed and dinner was coming soon. Suzie was amazed at how fast time had flown by. She rocked back and forth on her heels, humming a little tune. Jaarin eyed her.

"What's up with you today, huh?" Silence. "I mean, all day you run around, never giving me a moment to catch up with you, and I find out most of the time it's to talk to people who you just saw and will be seeing in four days!" Jaarin just hung her head. "You know, you're becoming a lot like Rinchei when he was your age. I was hardly able to keep up with him when he let me come along on his little 'adventures.' Ugh, I'm glad you didn't develop his sense of humor as well…"

Suzie giggled at this. Rinchei and her weren't all that close, considering the twelve year age difference, of course, but he always knew how to make her laugh; he had only slightly more tact that Terriermon.

Suzie just gave Jaarin a childish smile. "I'm sorry. I just wanted to get out today. I promise it won't happen again."

"Oh, I've heard that one before… This time from Henry…" She sighed. "Being the responsible one really tires me out. Of course, Henry has grown up a lot since he was young, but when I had to baby-sit him?" She paused. "I think I'm the only one who skipped the rebellious period."

Suzie giggled again at her sister. She then looked at her with pleading eyes. "Do you think you could convince Mom and Dad to let me go out by myself tomorrow?"

The blue-black haired girl did a double-take. "After what you pulled on me today? No way!"

Suzie's eyes widened. "B-but Jaarin…"

"Don't you 'but Jaarin' me! I could understand going into the food court, but running across the street? Suzie, you had me worried sick! And then when you ran into Takato. You got so far away from me that I could hardly see you!" Her sister firmly shook her head. "No, Suzie, I won't help you."

Suzie's bottom lip began to quiver and her eyes began to shake. She sniffed loudly and her arms started to shake.

"Oh, no, Suzie, please not here." Jaarin begged.

"WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHH!!!" Suzie bawled. She bawled as loud and as hard as she could. "WHY WON'T YOU LET ME DO WHAT I WANT? WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHH!!!"

Jaarin cringed as she watched Suzie cry. She hated it when the youngest Wong was like this, especially when it was her fault. It made her feel so guilty.

And that's what Suzie wanted.

"WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHH!!! I H-HAF' T-TA DO E-EVERYTHING WITH SOMEONE _OLDER_! I C-CAN NEVER D-DO ANYTHING BY. MY. SEEEEEEEEELLLF! WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHH!" Suzie was vaguely aware that other people had stopped the elevator to get on, and were now receding slowly as to not upset her anymore.

Jaarin looked at the crowd they had started to make and picked up her crying sister. "Okay, okay." She whispered gently, patting her back. "I'll plead your case. Now please stop crying, all right?"

Suzie sniffled slightly and hiccupped, pulling back to look at her sister. "R-really?"

She gave a half-hearted smile. "Really."

Suzie then let out a small cry of jubilation, hugging Jaarin tightly as her sobs subsided. She was half-crying and half-laughing. It was quite a sight. Jaarin could do nothing but smile. Her precious little sister…

* * *

Suzie washed her face before dinner; it was the only way Jaarin would help her with her 'problem.' She didn't want her parents to find out she'd been crying either, so it worked out in her favor. The little girl talked all night, her hands moving animatedly. While shoving a piece of chicken in her mouth, she started talking about her day.

"An' ah tha mall, we ran into Rika!"

"Chew your food dear." Her mother, Mayumi, reprimanded without even looking.

Suzie swallowed it all in a great big gulp, flashing a wild grin. She then pulled a heaping helping of wild rice on her plate with the serving spoon, watching the steam rise as the hotter portions were exposed to the colder air. She continued her story. "She had shopping do though."

Henry raised his eyebrows. "Rika? And shopping?"

"Her mom's." Little Suzie explained.

Henry chuckled and shook his head. "Poor Rika."

Suzie nodded, shoving some of the peas on her plate down her throat. "Uh-huh." She earned a hard stare from her father and began to chew her food properly before continuing. "We saw Kazu too." She purposely left out the part where she had run across the road to ask him her question.

"What was he doing there?" Henry inquired with an odd look on his face.

"He forgot a gift of some sort." Suzie waved her hand as if brushing the question away. "We had to get home, though." She frowned, but then perked up a second later. "But we also saw Takato!"

"More shopping?"

"No, he was just walking." She also left out the fact that she'd ran head-long into him.

Jaarin decided to hold up what she saw as her promise to Suzie and said, "Suzie was really good today, mom." Suzie glowed. "She may be even ready to start going out on her own."

Mayumi looked at her daughter in shock while Janyu coughed slightly. Even Rinchei and Henry wondered where this suddenly came from. "Jaarin, what makes you-?"

"She's really grown up, Dad." Jaarin reminded while Suzie sat there, twitling her thumbs. "All the responsibilities she had from the play most have done it; I was really surprised," Suzie gave a nervous grin when they looked at her, "not to mention impressed."

Mr. Wong stoked his chin softly. "Well…" He glanced at his nervous wife. He got up to clear his plate, taking a few of the others as well. Rinchei began to help him. "We'll talk more about it later."

Suzie knew her father's language; this meant Jaarin actually had some good points and he needed time to think of the bad ones. In other words, she had a chance! Now, if she could only decipher what her friends had told her…

* * *

Takato walked through the door of his parents' bakery and into the back. "I'm home!" Silence answered him. "Hello? Mom? Dad?"

On the table was a note. He picked it up and looked at it strangely.

_Dear Takato,_

_Your father and I have gone out with some friends who dropped by. Sorry about the short notice. There's pizza in the fridge that you can heat up. Make sure you brush your teeth and wash your face, okay, young man?_

_Love, Mom_

_P.S. I'll know if you don't._

Takato sighed at the letter. "Aw, Mom…" She could still embarrass him even if she wasn't in the same room. He opened the fridge and grabbed a few slices of pizza, putting them in the oven to heat up. He was about to shut the refrigerator, but there he saw a loaf of bread shaped very oddly. He withdrew it and suddenly it felt like a fist had closed around his heart. The bread was shaped like Guilmon's head.

"Guilmon…" The sight of the bread had never gotten him worked up before, but now?

He felt memories flooding back to him. The first time he and Guilmon met, the time he'd almost disappeared in a Digital Field, when he first Digivolved into Growlmon, when he'd Digivolved into WarGrowlmon, Megidramon…

Takato shook his head at the bad memory, his own voice echoing in his ears.

"_Beelzemon… I'll make you hurt… I'll make you pay!"_

"_You cannot lose, I won't allow it! I… I order you to Digivolve! Digivolve, NOW!!"_

"_I order you to Digivolve to Mega!"_

"_That's it… Mega…"_

_Takato's eyes widened at the monster in front of him. "Guilmon, what have I done to you, boy?"_

Takato felt his hands shake. How could he have done that to him? How?

Another memory filled Takato's mind, a very vivid one. It was when they were rescuing Jeri from the D-Reaper. He and Guilmon as Gallantmon were almost there…

_Gallantmon ran up the side of the D-Reaper._

"_We're coming, Jeri!" Takato yelled._

_Suddenly, the coils in front of him rearranged themselves to form a Jeri-shaped head. It looked down at him and fired a blast of darkness from its mouth. Gallantmon screamed in pain and began to fall, his body darkened severely._

_Takato panicked. "This can't be happening! Guilmon!"_

_Guilmon's soft voice came as they continued their head-first freefall. "I'm sorry, Takato."_

"_NOOO!"_

_An unfamiliar voice entered his ears. "Do you want to fly, Guilmon?"_

_Gallantmon answered, his eyes wide. "Wh-who are you?"_

"_Do you want to fly?" The male voice repeated. "I can give you my wings."_

_Guilmon's innocent voice answered in shock. "Wings? I-I could fly?"_

_Gallantmon's faithful friend, Grani, flew shakily toward him. "Grani!" The Mega cried._

"_I can no longer move on my own, but I can give you the strength that remains in me. You can have my wings, Gallantmon." The Ark explained._

"_Grani… You really _are_ a Digimon, aren't you?" Takato's voice shook with revelation._

"_Grani, are you sure?" The dinosaur half of the Mega asked uncertainly._

"_I'm very sure. You are my friends; you talked to me. This is my gift to you." Grani flew at them, beginning to merge with the Digimon._

"_GRANI!" Takato yelled, tears on the edge of his eyes._

"_A part of you will always be with us, Grani!" Gallantmon felt his body change, become more powerful. He was different… He had wings…_

"Grani…" Takato felt his heart, knowing part of him beat within him. "Thank you…"

If it hadn't been for him, they couldn't have saved Jeri, or anyone, for that matter. His mind recalled one more event.

"_I'm coming, Jeri!" Takato was confident. He was almost there! He would finally see Jeri again._

_Suddenly, a very warped version of Jeri's clone flew out of the coils in front of him. "Negative, subject Gallantmon." It fired a powerful blast at him much like the one the Jeri Head had before. It destroyed his sword in a flash._

"_Who is that?" Gallantmon asked before it grabbed his head._

"_Humans and Digimon exist only to destroy or _be _destroyed, an exercise in futility! Humans desire annihilation, therefore their existence is pointless."_

_Gallantmon struggled at the strong grip. "No… You don't get to decide that!"_

_Takato twitched and pulled, struggling to break free. "My life isn't pointless and neither is Guilmon's or my friends' or anyone else's! We have the right to live and protect the people we care about- something a warped freak like you could never understand!"_

_The red knight grabbed the hand and wrenched it away. He tried to punch the blue clone, but got punched instead._

"_You are persistent, bit you are only delaying the inevitable!" It shoved him into the D-Reaper's coils, causing him to inhale deeply and begin to dissolve. "You do not deserve to exist!"_

"_It's not true, is it?" Guilmon questioned._

_Takato clenched his fists. "No! No it is not!" The data was sucked back into him. "And it's about time we proved it!"_

_Gallantmon flew out of the coils, ripping them in rage. "We _do_ deserve to exist!" He punched the clone in the stomach and twisted his fist. "You don't!"_

_The clone screamed in pain before it broke up into piece of the D-Reaper and then disappeared completely._

Takato sighed at the memory of his words. They deserved to be together too, didn't they? After all they'd been through, couldn't Destiny at least grant them that? The kitchen timer beeped wildly, making Takato jump. He walked over to the oven and withdrew the slices of pizza with an oven mitt.

"Oh, Guilmon…"

* * *

Suzie flopped down on her bed in comfy pink pajamas. They weren't too loose, and they didn't constrict her when she moved around. Little white rabbits covered them, and Suzie loved them so. This is why it was odd when she found a sudden sharp pain in her back. She jumped up, rubbing it softly, and began to dig through her covers, discovering her pink D-Ark. She'd been so excited the night before that she'd slept in her clothes, and the D-Ark must have slipped off.

She picked it up and studied it curiously as she lay down. She held it up to the soft light, feeling the smooth edges and stroking the screen softly. It had not faded in the years following the D-Reaper; on the contrary, it still looked brand-new. Part of her wondered if it could ever fade or if the color could ever chip off. Probably not, seeing as it was made from wishes and dreams, but still. She wondered why she hadn't taken better care of it in the past three years, and an image of smiling at her Lopmon filled her head. _Lopmon…_

_Suzie ran through the park with her father far behind. She spun and twirled in happiness. The big red blob was gone, it was finally gone! Now she could play with Henry and Terriermon and Lopmon all she wanted, and all the other Tamers could be happy! She could spend days playing in the snow that was soon to fall and teach Lopmon about Christmas! Her little chocolate bunny and her, with nothing to ruin the moment…_

_She just had to find her first. She found the other Tamers standing in the middle of the park with a little boy and a little girl she didn't recognize off to the side. She felt her face light up._

"_Thewe you awe!" She called to her father, who was looking like he was dreading something. She didn't know why. She turned back to them, laughing cheerfully. "Henwy, Lopmon, Tewwiewmon! I thought I-" It was then that she noticed the Digimon were really tiny and looked different. "Daddy, what's wong? Why awe they gwowing so smawl?"_

_She looked at Lopmon, who was now a little blob-like thing with three horns and rabbit ears. She reached out to hold her, unaware of the other children and her father talking. They were all crying, even Henry. Suddenly, Lopmon raised into the sky toward a big black and red shiny thing, completely composed of squares. Suzie gasped as she reached out to her, tears running down her cheeks as she watched her rabbit floating away._

"_Lopmon, don't go!" She cried, still reaching out with her little pudgy hands as she did with Terriermon so long ago. _

_Lopmon reached the center of the squares and then disappeared, her outline staying there for a second longer. She watched as a little Terriermon-like creature floating up as well, followed by a small fox head and a little dinosaur thing. They all shouted things out before disappearing._

"_Momentai, Henry!"_

_"Stay strong, Rika!"_

_"Remember, Takato, you promised! Takato…"_

_The squares disappeared, and Suzie started crying harder. She hugged her brother's waist tightly. "Henwy, Where'd they awl go? Where's Lopmon? I want my Lopmon! I want my Lopmon and Tewwiewmon!" She felt Henry hug her back. "I don't want them to go!"_

_She looked up to the sky where the Digimon had gone. Why had she left? Where was she? Would she ever see her again?_

Suzie's eyes snapped open and she sat up suddenly. She'd fallen asleep… The lights were off in her room (she figured someone had turned them off), and her hand was still wrapped around her pink D-Ark. She noticed the door was open a crack, and she could hear her parents talking outside.

"I'm just not sure if we're ready to let her go out by herself." Her father's voice came.

It was, amazingly, her mother that contradicted him. "She _has_ been to the Digital World before, honey, and she _did_ wonder around for a good amount of time there alone."

"Yes, but she was almost _killed_!" Oooh… She should've left that part out when she was describing her little adventure.

"But we don't have any Digimon here, do we?"

"But that Bio-Emerge-!"

"-Released the lowest level of Digimon there are, correct? You said it yourself. Besides, from what those little guys are saying, there's actually peace in the Digital World right now. And not a little, I mean complete and total peace. They even said they have Christmas there!" Her mother had spent the day listening to the slumbering babies, she guessed.

"There's what?!"

"But we're getting off the subject, dear. Look, how about we give her a cell phone and we send Rinchei with her?" Suzie felt her heart begin to sink. "If she goes to a large store, she can go look around and Rinchei and go off to do what he wants to. All he has to do is call her and she can still have her freedom." A miniature celebration went off in the eight-year-old's head. Her mother was defending her! Her mother! How did this happen?

She heard a sigh from her father, signaling defeat. "I just wonder how you suddenly became so trusting of our children…"

Her mother chuckled. "Now, Janyu, are you saying I'm overprotective?"

"N-no, I-!" He stopped for some reason.

"Come with me, we're going to bed."

Suzie heard their voices trail off, and she hugged her D-Ark close. At last! She could look for the Tamers' Christmas spirit in peace! All she had to do was figure out where to look…

She sighed as she thought of Lopmon again. She really missed her. In the short peace they'd had, she'd become her best friend…

Suzie suddenly shot up, her eyes wide. That was it! She thought of the answers the other Tamers had given her. Rika told her Christmas spirit was a happy feeling you get inside, and you get it from the people you love. Kazu told her you get it when your friends and family that you haven't seen in a long time come, making you feel very good inside. Takato told her he was missing Guilmon, his best friend. That was it! The Tamers didn't have their Christmas spirit because their partners weren't here!

Suzie frowned. That was a big job for such a little girl. How was she supposed to find a way to get the Digimon back? Well, no matter how hard it was, she'd find some way! She had to!

_So dear little Suzie hit the sack,_

_Wondering how to get the Digimon back._

_What she didn't know was someone was musing,_

_And would find her little struggle very amusing._

_He would test her and prod her and laugh at her pain._

_She would even risk death for this little game (ugh!)_

* * *

A/N:

Next Time: Suzie decides to go to an old ally for assistance on her quest, but will he be of any help? Meanwhile, Ai notices Mako is acting out-of-sorts lately. Will an unexpected phone call be the gift he was waiting for? Find out next time in _Digimon Tamers: What is Christmas Spirit, Anyway?_!


	4. Day 4

A/N: Okay, for every long chapter, you have a short one. On Day Four, I just really couldn't figure out what to put. I mean, this was where I was struggling back when I first wrote this and I can see why. I just didn't have this day planned out, so it's shorter.

I think you all should be pleased, however, with a guest appearance in this chapter. The person is in the first section and I must say this scene was one of my favorites to write. I found it really capturing the moments in the series. Enough chit-chat, though.

Disclaimer: Crap, I'm not going to do a stupid witty line here. You all know I don't own it? Would it be on 'Fanfiction-dot-net' if I did?

* * *

_Four Days Until Christmas_

The next day, after dressing in a large purple coat complete with gloves and a wool hat, Suzie went to a large office building with Rinchei. The snow had picked up from yesterday, and the winds were cold and harsh as they whipped against their faces'. They fought to get inside, and when they did, Rinchei eyed the girl oddly, asking a silent question of why they came. Suzie shook her head, refusing to tell the boy, who sighed and decided to look around the building for a part-time job. She propped herself up on the wooden reception desk to see the woman sitting behind it. She looked down sweetly at the girl.

"Hello, little girl. How can I help you?" She asked.

Suzie merely showed her her D-Ark and the woman's eyes widened for a second before she nodded. "Right. Right this way, please." She led Suzie down a long hallway to what seemed like a dead-end. She walked to the right-hand wall and felt around it for a second, making the wallpaper move away slowly as if it was concealing something, revealing an elevator. "You just ride that to the second basement and you'll be able to talk with Mr. Yamaki." She turned around as Suzie walked inside the elevator, pressing the button hastily. She could hear the woman muttering something about along the lines of her not being able to believe that "one of them" was that young.

Suzie walked out of the elevator when it reached the second basement level, which technically didn't exist on the schematics of the building. She walked out, finding herself in a place that looked eerily like the one her father worked in while trying to bring them home (he'd showed her pictures that had to be burned later for "reasons that could not be explained"). She saw some familiar faces, like her father's old friend Dr. McCoy and the one they called Babble. She waved to them and they waved back, a little surprised to see her. She'd been there only once before, but remembered where Mr. Yamaki's office was instantly. She walked to a large door that was engraved with the words:

**Mitsou Yamaki**

**Director of Hypnos**

Yes, Hypnos. It had been rebuilt in secret under an office building, and some of her father's friends, "The Monster Makers", still worked there. Hypnos still monitored internet access, but didn't delve so much into people's personal files anymore. Suzie wasn't quite sure what it did now, but if some of The Monster Makes were working there, she had a hunch something Digimon was involved. She knocked on the large door, and a second later a woman with long red hair walked out, waving at her.

"Hello, there, Suzie." She greeted with a little shock. "How are you?" It wasn't uncommon to see Tamers at Hypnos, but it was to see this one.

"I'm all right, Ms. Riley." She said politely.

The woman, Riley, smiled at the little girl. "You don't have to add the 'Miss' in front, you know."

"I know." Suzie beamed. "But I like to."

Riley chortled softly. "You can go in there to talk to Yamaki if you want, but I have no idea why a girl such as yourself would be down here four days before Christmas."

Suzie just grinned, walking into the dark office. There was a dim light coming from the ceiling fan, making shadows fall upon her face. "Mr. Yamaki?"

The man sat behind his desk, surprised at the sight of the little girl. "Suzie?" He asked in his gruff voice. His sunglasses still hid his eyes and he held his lighter in his hand, clicking it on and off like he usually did. "What are you doing here?"

Suzie's face was suddenly serious, a quality very surprising for her to have. "I need to know something." She didn't even wait for him to ask what it was. "I need to know if there's a way to bring the Digimon back from the Digital World."

Yamaki's clicking faltered, only to resume a second later. "Why would you want to know that?"

Suzie shot a stiff look. "Do you really need to ask?" Emotion worked its way into her voice, making her sound harder than she'd intended.

Yamaki sighed. "At the time, there is no way that we know of."

"You can make one though." It was a statement, not a question. She was very aware of what The Monster Makers could do.

"Yes, but-"

"But you won't." Suzie finished for him, feeling her hands shake slightly. She was expecting this; she wouldn't cry.

"Suzie, if we somehow do find a way to get your partners back, who says other Digimon won't come with?" He shook his head. "It's too much of a risk."

"Where's the risk in it?" Suzie inquired, her voice rising slowly in volume. "We can beat anything that comes through, and incase you haven't been informed, something already Bio-Emerged. We need our Digimon to fight anything else!"

The only sound was the rickety ceiling fan's screeches and groans as the light passed from her face to his. The clicking had stopped long before.

Yamaki stood up, walking toward the door. He stopped just after he passed Suzie, standing completely still. "I'm sorry, but we can't."

Suzie swallowed a large lump in her throat. "That's all I wanted to know." She turned around, gave him a sharp nod, and walked toward the door. She called softly over her shoulder, "Please don't tell my dad I was here," and then left, looking at the floor as she dragged her feet back to the elevator.

The employees seemed far away and their voices were fuzzy and distant. She couldn't make out what they were saying; her pounding heart was blocking that out. The floor became distorted and watery as she walking into the elevator. She realized this and harshly whipped her arm up to her eyes, whipping away the tears that had been there. She pressed the button that would take her back up to the ground floor and looked back down at the ground. A loud ding told her she'd reached her destination and she trudged slowly back to the lobby, finding Rinchei waiting for her. She gave him an unconvincing smile and he drew her close, putting her arm around her as they walked into the now-calm air.

"Come on; let's go to the park, okay?" He said softly. He'd guessed what she'd been going to do and deduced from her somber look that she'd failed.

Suzie nodded slowly, leaning her head against Rinchei's waist.

* * *

Rinchei let Suzie go off to play while he sat on a bench reading a book. Suzie didn't feel much like playing at the moment, though. She wandered around the snow-covered park, kicking the white powder as she walked and leaving a long trail. She watched other kids her age running and playing, throwing snowballs at each other and building snowmen and making snow angels. She just sighed and turned away, heading back through her snow-trail. She caught sight of a long, winding snow-staircase. Puzzled, she walked over to it.

"Snow can't do this." She said out loud.

Her eyes followed the staircase up to the top, where a small shack stood upwind of the snow. She recalled Henry telling her Takato used to keep Guilmon in a shack like that. He also told her that was how they got into the Digital World. She dashed up the stairs, almost slipping on some of them, to the shack. She shoved open the old metal gate, making it moan in pain. Ignoring the object, she found herself inside the shack. The floor was mostly concrete, except for the back, which looked like it had been dug deeply up. As if in a trance, she walked cover to that section of the shack, looking down into a winding tunnel.

Without a second thought, she climbed down into the tunnel, following it rashly. The tunnel stopped abruptly, and Suzie began to look around for a portal of some kind. She tried digging at the rock-hard dirt with her hands, only to let out a small yelp. She cradled her injured hand and berated herself for not thinking straight. Her eyes were drawn straight ahead, where the tunnel stopped. This part was large and it looked like it was dug very carefully. Suzie's bottom lip began to tremble again and she kicked the spot with all she had, not caring if she hurt her foot in the process. Warm tears filled her purple eyes while anger filled her mind.

_Where is it? Where is it?! _Her thoughts yelled. "Why can't I find it? Why?!"

It was true then. The portal was gone and there was no way into the Digital World. Yamaki wasn't willing to try and open one, and she had no clue how to bring them there. She was stuck. There was no way to bring her partner back, and no way to bring the other Tamers' partners back. There was nothing she could do.

"B-but I have to." She looked down sadly. "I have to get them back."

Her legs found their way back to the beginning of the tunnel and her hands found their way to the top of it. She slinked out of the shack and down the snow-covered stairs and back through the snow-trail. But her mind seemed to still linger in the same spot, gazing at the spot where the gateway to Lopmon once was.

* * *

Ai stared out at the snow as it fell onto the doghouse outside. She held the dog, Poochie, her and her brother shared close to her. He'd grown in the last few years, now big enough to ride on. Still, he was like a little puppy to her and didn't mind when she treated him like one. She smiled at the dog and stood up. He rolled over on the warm rug, giving her a pleading look. Ai giggled and started to scratch his belly, making him pant with joy and his tail swish back and forth.

A heavy sigh came from her right, and both she and Poochie looked over to see Mako, staring out forlornly at the blasted pale flakes.

"What's wrong, Mako?" She questioned.

He looked at her with a crestfallen face. "Why do think something's wrong?" Answered his unconvincing reply.

Ai rolled her eyes. "First of all, that look on your face says it all. Second of all, I'm your twin and big sister,"

"By only two minutes!" Mako cut in.

"_And_," Ai glared, "that means I can just tell when you're feeling down." She looked harder at his face. "So, tell me."

Mako frowned and his shoulders slumped. "I feel guilty about missing Suzie's play."

Ai cringed. "I do too, but it wasn't our fault, right? It was the weather. I'm sure she understands." Her response wasn't very strong.

Mako sighed again, looking back at the snow miserably.

"Come on, bro, don't be like that," Ai tried, feeling a little unhappy herself. "Please?" The phone rang and Ai stood up. "I'm going to get that and when I get back, you'd better be cheerful, okay?"

A grunt came as her response, meaning no. She frowned dejectedly and walked into the kitchen to get the phone.

"Hello?" Her dreary voice said.

"Um, hi?" A familiar female voice asked uncertainly. "Uh, I'm looking for Ai or Mako. Is one of them there?"

"This is Ai." Ai tried to sound happier, but she was finding it hard. She was also trying to place the voice on the other end of the phone with a face.

"Oh. Well, I was wondering if you and your family if you want could come to the resort on the edge of West Shinjuku for the annual Tamers party. You know: the big one." The voice sounded slightly embarrassed for not knowing the name of the resort.

Ai knew which one she was talking about, though. Then the words registered in her head. "Tamers party?" She inquired.

"Yeah, you've been there before."

Ai searched her mind to remember who this was. She didn't talk with many of the other Tamers much, but she knew their voices. At least, she thought she did. "Ummm…" Not Suzie, of course, and it wasn't cheerful enough to be the puppet girl, Jeri. So… Who was it…? Ah ha! "Right, thanks Rika." There it was! "Um, my family too?"

"If you want. I know you're out of town right now, but Suzie would really love it if you guys came. She was really sad when you couldn't come to her play."

Ai winced. Oh, there was the sadness again. "Um, one second." She put the phone down and ran into the dining room. Her mother and father were talking with her grandmother. "Mom, Dad, can Mako and I go to the Tamer party on Christmas Eve?" She didn't give her parents any time to respond and continued in a hurried voice. "You've been to it before, and this year it's at that big resort outside West Shinjuku and Suzie would really love it if Mako and I came and you guys can come too and can we, please, please, please?" She took a deep breath and looked at them hopefully.

Her father was the first to speak. "All right, Ai." He was looking at her a little funny.

"If your grandmother says you can." Her mother responded kindly.

The kind elderly woman smiled at Ai. "Well, I'd be happy to let you go."

Ai jumped into the air, giving a victory cry. "Thanks Mom, thanks Dad, thanks Granny!" She ran out of the room and back to the phone, grinning like crazy. "Yeah, we can come." She then looked out the kitchen window to see the snow still falling lightly. "If the snow lets up, that is…"

Rika replied with a groan. "Of course." She sighed. "Well, I hope to see you there. Try to take the train. The roads may still be blocked."

Ai nodded. "Right, thanks for inviting us."

"Don't worry about it. You're Tamers too, right?"

Ai beamed. "I'll see you there," she added under her breath, "hopefully," and hung up the phone.

She walked back into the living room, a wild smile playing on her face. She leaned down and knocked her brother on the head.

"Hey!" He shouted, jumping to his feat. "What was that for?!"

Ai just grinned at him. "It was the only was to get your attention." She leaned closer to him, smirking. "We're going to the Tamer party in three days."

Mako's eyes lit up. "Really? Will Suzie be there?"

"I don't see why not." Ai replied, watching her brother perk up in joy.

"Yes! Thank you Ai!" He hugged his sister happily before running out of the room, most likely to go record his thoughts in his journal.

Ai chuckled. "Silly little brother…" She then looked down at Poochie for a second before attacking him with rubs and hugs.

* * *

Rika put down her phone and smiled. She was glad the twins may be able to come to the Tamer party; Suzie, the little dear, would be very happy to find this out. She'd let it be a surprise, though. No point in telling her now. She walked into the wall of her house, looking at the frozen lake outside. Her mood dropped as she remembered the times she and Renamon would talk there. The memories were never this sad, she recalled, but the recent Bio-Emergence had brought up the uneasy feeling. She couldn't blame the baby Digimon, yet she still couldn't help but get disheartened over the memory of her partner. She closed her eyes, remembering the day Renamon had left.

_They were all just standing there; Jeri had just forgiven Impmon for destroying Leomon, her partner. Everything seemed like it was going to be great. But then it happened. The Digimon all started glowing and shrinking._

"_R-Renamon!" Rika's surprised voice said._

"_I feel strange!" Renamon responded in a strained voice._

_Soon, she was her In-Training form, Viximon, and Rika was holding her close. The Digimon had to leave? But they couldn't!_

"_No, this can't be. I won't let it happen!" Rika sobbed as her shoulders shook. She hugged Viximon tighter, as if somehow it would keep her there._

_Henry glared angrily at his father, almost yelling at him. This was his fault. IT was, but… She couldn't blame Mr. Wong, but…_

_Rika held Viximon out in front of her. "Renamon, stay! You can fight this, can't you?"_

"_Rika, I know we'll see each other again one day." The little Digimon responded as she began to float out of the girl's arms._

"_No, Renamon, please! I love you!" She floated beyond Rika's grip and her eyes widened. Her friend… The one that had brought her out of her ice-hard shell… No…_

_Her friends were calling out their good byes, not wanting their friends to leave. Viximon called down to her before disappearing, "Stay strong, Rika!"_

Rika opened her eyes and shook her head, frowning at her last moment with Renamon. She said they'd see each other again one day. But when was that day coming?

* * *

A/N:

Next Time: Only three more days until Christmas and Suzie's still up a creek without a paddle in the Digimon department. What's she got up her sleeve now? Can she really get the Digimon back, or is she going to have to just accept that it may be impossible? And what of our Digimon friends? How are they faring on their journey? Find out next time in _Digimon Tamers: What is Christmas Spirit, Anyway? _!


	5. Day 5

Author's Notes: Well, this one's a fairly decent size. I really have to get typing, though; I'm not done with the next chapter, however stupid that really sounds. It'll be up tomorrow, though, I swear it. sigh I know you guys are all reading this, but could you please **review**? I mean, I know I did at least something right because I see people continuing, but I'd really like a little feedback on how I'm doing with this, you know?

* * *

_Three Days Until Christmas_

_When we last left our friends on the Digital Plain,_

_They had set out on a quest, hoping it was not in vain._

_They put their efforts toward a noble cost,_

_And now we find them…_

"THIS IS ALL YOUR FAULT!" Two voices screamed at the same time.

… _completely and utterly lost._

Terriermon and Lopmon glared at each other in rage the world suddenly became light, signifying the switch from night to day.

"If you had only listened to me, we wouldn't be in this mess!" The beige one cried.

"No, if we had asked some of the natives, we would know where we were going!" His chocolate-colored companion retorted.

They'd been arguing for hours, and Calumon didn't like it. His ears were small as he watched the two bunny-dogs yell at each other. He looked at MarineAngemon, who seemed un-phased. "Shouldn't we stop them?" The In-Training asked the Mega.

MarineAngemon shook his head. "It's no use." He answered in his high voice.

Calumon sighed, his shoulders slumping. "We'll never get anywhere if they keep on being yelly…"

"All I'm saying is, if we had asked the Digimon that actually _live_ around here, **maybe** we wouldn't be **lost**!" Lopmon cried, throwing her hands and ears in the air.

Terriermon stalked closer. "So, **you're** saying **I** don't know my way around, is that it, Deva-girl?"

Lopmon felt her patience waning. "I'm **saying** you have a worse sense of direction than a new born Kuramon!"

"Oh yeah, well…" Terriermon growled. "You're Sovereign sucks!"

Calumon and MarineAngemon gasped and the former hid behind the latter.

"This can't end well…" MarineAngemon covered his little eyes.

_He did _not_ just say that…_ Snap went Lopmon's patience. With a feral snarl, the bunny leaped at Terriermon and pinned him to the ground, clawing at his face as she did. They rolled around, hitting and scratching each other, Terriermon just trying to keep the raging rabbit from ripping his ears off.

"Hey, hey! Ouch! Stop that!" Terriermon would call as Calumon and MarineAngemon sunk farther to the ground to hide themselves in the snow.

It was now that the duo realized they were on top of a hill. A really big hill. A hill that the fighting rabbits were about to roll all the way- oh, there they go…

"AAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!" Crash!

The smallest of the bunch peered down the hill to see the two lying in a heap at the bottom of it, their ears tangled and interweaving with their bodies. They were breathing hard, and both possessed a nice amount of battle scars. Terriermon looked at Lopmon and Lopmon looked at Terriermon.

"Truce?" The beige one proposed.

"Truce."

They both let out something crossed between a sigh and a moan as they stared up at Calumon and MarineAngemon. The two looked from the rabbits to each other and back again, and then a small giggle escaped from their throats. It started out soft, but soon it grew into a hearty laugh, and before either of them knew it, they were on the ground, rolling with mirth.

"I don't see what's so funny." Terriermon grumbled as he pushed himself to his feet and helped Lopmon untangle their ears.

Lopmon shook her head, making Terriermon sway a bit. "We should just stop here and rest for a bit. We've been traveling all night. After we get our bearings, we can discuss what we want to do."

For once, the two agreed. It was amazing they hadn't killed each other on this little trip. Lopmon and Terriermon were as different as day and night. One was quiet and reserved and the other was loud and outgoing; one would try to use words over actions, while the other would settle most problems with fighting. And of course, one served the Sovereign Zhuqiaomon while the other tried to turn him into roast turkey. Yet the two promised themselves they would get along so they could get back to their Tamers.

A few minutes later, after Calumon and MarineAngemon had composed themselves, the four of them sat comfortably in a bubble MarineAngemon had made. Lopmon was stroking her chin slowly, clearly thinking something over.

"Maybe we're going about this the wrong way." She mused out loud.

Terriermon titled his head to the side. "And what way _should_ we go about this?"

"Just hear me out." Lopmon said. "Now, we've been wondering around for about three days, looking for any sign of something out of the ordinary, right?" Her companions nodded. "And we haven't really found anything that would point us to the wish-granter, right?" More nods. "Well, maybe we shouldn't be asking about what's _different_, but what's _the same_." Silence.

"Okay, I think I speak for every Mon with a brain here when I say I'm lost." Terriermon stated.

Lopmon groaned. "Think about it! _Everything's_ out of the ordinary! The wish-granter wouldn't have wanted to change its life-style, so the place it lives _must_ be the only normal place in the Digital World!"

The other three contemplated Lopmon's words. They actually seemed to make some sense.

"You know…" MarineAngemon started talking, but Calumon's ears shot out suddenly, interrupting him. "Calumon?"

"I hear something strange-sounding!" He cried, looking toward a large snow-covered rock to the right of the group. "It's coming from over there!"

MarineAngemon's bubble lowered to the ground and popped as Lopmon and Terriermon took fighting stances and Calumon hid behind MarineAngemon. The only sound the four heard was the soft wind tickling their noses and giggling as it did so. Terriermon was about to turn to Calumon and reprimand him when another sound filled the air: Humming. It started soft, but soon grew. The tune was a familiar one to Terriermon. He'd heard it around Henry's house at Christmas time before. He couldn't recall the name, though… Something with bells…

The figure that'd been humming soon floated out from behind the rock and on his merry way, seemingly care-free. He was familiar to Terriermon as well. The Digimon was a humanoid-like one, tall and icy white. He had two large wings with small holes throughout them and horns on his head. He had beady eyes and black wrappings around his legs. His chest seemed branded with the shape of a purple bat with its wings out-stretched.

Terriermon went into a feral mode. "IceDevimon!" He growled, his fur puffing out in all directions.

IceDevimon only noticed them just then and turned his head to face them, blinking. "Oh, it's you. You have more friends now?" He asked in a curious tone.

"Don't you play that game with me!" Terriermon snapped. "I know all about your manipulative attitude, IceDevimon, and I don't even need Henry's help to beat you this time!"

MarineAngemon frowned. "Who that?" He asked in a confused tone.

"That's IceDevimon!" Terriermon didn't take his eyes from the fallen angel Digimon. "He tried to destroy Renamon so he could be Rika's partner before we met you guys! I was sure Guilmon loaded his data!"

Calumon's ears sunk into his head. "I remember that… Rika got really grouchy after that…" He paused. "Of course, she's always grouchy…"

Lopmon joined her counterpart, glaring down IceDevimon. "We're on a mission from the Sovereign, so if you even touch us they'll make sure you regret it!"

IceDevimon just smiled obliviously. "A mission? What kind of mission?" He didn't wait for the response. "It's wonderful to see the younger generation still involved in the affairs of the Digital World instead of themselves…"

Lopmon blinked and leaned over to Terriermon. "Terriermon, this guy's a sissy…"

Terriermon was just as confused. "I-I know… But he wasn't like this before…"

MarineAngemon was the one who figured out the puzzle. "Christmas make people happy."

The beige rabbit-dog cocked his head to the side. "Wow…" IceDevimon smiled fondly at the group. "This is actually kind of frightening. I mean, really frightening. Worse than the D-Reaper frightening."

Calumon grinned at his friends. "It's not that bad! At least that creepy, creepy smile's gone."

Terriermon looked at Calumon and then back at IceDevimon. The icy Digimon gave him a warm smile that resulted in a full body shudder. "I say we get out of here as fast as we can…"

Lopmon put a tiny hand on his shoulder. "Not just yet…" She walked up to IceDevimon cautiously. "Mr. IceDevimon, sir? We are looking for a Digimon who can grant wishes. Have you ever heard of anyone like this?" Lopmon asked as politely as she could.

"Why, as a matter of fact, I have." IceDevimon responded. Lopmon did a victory dance in her head. "His name is Lampmon and he lives on the highest mountain in South Sector in a run-down castle. I've been told his powers are usually confined to a small area, but are amplified around certain times of the year." Lopmon's heart leaped to her throat. Could it really be this easy? "Of course, none of his wishes are permanent, especially the large ones." _Of course…_

The former Deva visibly slumped with sorrow. "O-oh…"

"However…" IceDevimon frowned and his face screwed up in concentration. Hope slowly filled Lopmon's heart again. "There is a time of year that is so magical, even wishes of huge importance can't escape his power. They would be endless if granted directly at this time."

"When is this, Mr. IceDevimon?" _Please…_

"The only time would be the equivalent of the Real World's Christmas Eve night to Christmas morn, from sunset to sunrise."

Lopmon felt as if her smile leapt off her face and she looked back at the others, her eyes brimming with unshed tears of joy. She used an ear to sweep them away and then looked back at IceDevimon. "Could you maybe tell us how to find this mountain?"

"Pass the Tsuchidaramon's village and continue until you see a large rock shaped like a Vilemon. Go east there and continue on and you'll find a long tunnel. After making through this tunnel, you'll find yourself on a very snowy plane; this area was cold before the snow started coming, so I expect it will be even chillier now. When you get there, you should see the mountain. Follow it to the top and you'll find Lampmon." IceDevimon explained.

Lopmon nodded dimly as he spoke, taking in the directions. She nodded and smiled. "Thank you, Mr. IceDevimon. We are in your debt." She bowed her head in respect and then turned back to her fellow Digimon companions, running up to them and telling them the good news. "I have directions to the wish-granter!"

Calumon let out a squeal and leaped into the air in joy. MarineAngemon giggled happily and Terriermon looked dumbfounded. "How'd you manage that?"

Lopmon led the way. "I'll tell you on the way, come on."

The others followed and they started on their journey once more, leaving IceDevimon to murmur, "Should I have told them it's a five-day trip?"

_And our Digital heroes traveled in delight,_

_Unaware time would cause a plight._

* * *

_Trying her hand at a conventional plan,_

_Suzie was talking to a rather large man._

"And so," Suzie continued as she sat on 'Santa's' lap, "all I want for Christmas is for my friends to get their Christmas Spirit back. Can you do that?" A soft snore resounded from the man. "Santa?"

'Santa' let out a sudden gasp and his eyes opened. "Huh, oh? Ah, um, here, little girl," He took a small stuffed puppy out of his bag. "Here's a toy for you." He then sent her on his way as the children who'd been waiting in line for a good twenty minutes cheered.

Suzie sighed, muttering angrily to herself. She'd told the jolly man a rendition of her problem, even including the Digimon in her story. The world had more or less accepted the fact that the D-Reaper had been destroy by a small group of children and their Digital partners, but the other Tamers received much more attention that little Suzie did. 'Santa' probably figured she was just telling some wild story.

The little girl shuffled forward, mumbling to herself as she watched the people in the mall laughing and talking. A soft Christmas tune filled the air, filling those around Suzie with cheer. She should've felt the same feeling, but the thought of not being able to help her friends out just sucked it all out of her.

Her mother had been able to convince her father to let her walk around the large complex by herself, but just so long as Rinchei was in the building somewhere. Suzie never imagined in her wildest dreams that it would be her _mother_ convincing her _father_ of this. It was always the other way around. Still, this helped her greatly. Now she could at least look around without being confined to a single store. If she knew how she could find Christmas Spirit, she'd be set, but of course, she didn't.

She'd already determined she needed to find a way to get the Digimon back, but she didn't know how. Yamaki wouldn't- or rather, couldn't- open up a gate, they weren't coming through on their own, and Santa didn't help her. She was stuck.

Suzie sat on a bench, barely taking in the Christmas decorations surrounding her. Her feet swung back and forth, left one first, right one second. Her indigo orbs were focused on the ground. Her thoughts consumed her, making it seem as if she were a zombie. And through all this, Suzie could not think of any way to find her partner.

_Maybe my D-Ark could help,_ she mused. She immediately berated herself for thinking this. Her D-Ark surely couldn't reach Lopmon when she was in the Digital World. Too many barriers separated them, even if they _were_ weakened.

Suzie pushed herself off the bench and decided to try talking to Santa one more time. Maybe if she calmly explained her situation and how important it was, he would agree to help her. She spied him walking away from his chair, a relieved look on his face. Upon further examination, Suzie saw the line to Santa's chair was closed, meaning it was time for his break; poor Santa needed to work all year to get Christmas ready, he deserved one. Suzie pranced up to him, a wide grin on her face.

"Santa!" She called, sure that his face would lit up in joy to see a happy child trotting up to him.

On the contrary, Santa seemed to look horrified for a moment, but quickly replaced this face with one of patient understanding. He leaned down to Suzie's level and spoke softly. "You've already had your turn, little girl, and Santa's on his break."

Suzie frowned. "But there's been a mistake. You didn't give me what I wanted." She then smiled at him. "You must not have heard me. I want-"

Santa chuckled forcefully, his grin waning. "Now, little girl, Santa can only do so much right now. He needs to go and talk with his elves so he knows everything's ready for Christmas."

Suzie inwardly wondered why Santa was referring to himself in third person. She outwardly said, "But you're Santa! You're supposed to be able to do _everything_!" She spread out her little hands as far as they could go to emphasize her point. "You can fly around the whole world in one night and get down those little chimneys with your big belly and make your reindeer fly!" Her eyes shined. "You just have to help me, you have to!"

"Little girl," Santa started, "I'm sorry, but Santa can't help you right now. Maybe you can go and find your mommy and daddy and they can give you what you want, okay?"

He started to stand up, but in her desperation, Suzie grabbed at his beard. She was about to ask again, but suddenly stopped when Santa stood up straight, his beard still in Suzie's grip. She looked from the beard to Santa to the beard again and then cried in terror, "You're not Santa!"

As if that was a cue, two security guards dashed over to the small girl and snatched her up, giving "Santa" back his beard. "Come on, kid, you're coming with us." The second man said, patting her little head while children stared at the beardless Santa. Apparently Suzie's cry had brought a small crowd.

One guard hid "Santa" as he re-attached his beard and then quickly made his way through a door in the back, while the other walked off with Suzie still in his grasp. Suzie frowned, not fighting against the man as that would make things only increasingly difficult. She crossed her little arms and pouted. That man wasn't Santa! He was just a fake! She should've known; the _real _Santa would've-

A figurative light-bulb lit above Suzie's head. The real Santa! He could help her! She finally had a fool-proof plan!

… If she could only find him…

* * *

Suzie grumbled as Rinchei led her out of the security guard's office. He'd been paged to come and pick her up a few minutes ago. Because she was so young, Suzie had been let off with only a warning, told not to bother "Santa" when we was doing his job. Rinchei decided it was time for the two to head home, and no persuading from Suzie could change his mind.

Rinchei looked down at her sternly as they exited the complex. "Suzie, why did you pull Santa's beard off?"

Suzie pouted. "He didn't listen to my Christmas wish!" She then added, "And that wasn't Santa! That was some old fat guy!"

Rinchei let out something that sounded like a cross between a groan and a sigh. "Suzie..." He paused, unsure of what he was going to say. What could he say? He was pretty sure what Suzie was asking the Santa-wannabe to do and that was quite impossible for any human he knew. He didn't know how to get Suzie to understand this. "Suzie, sometimes we want to change something, but we have to accept that there may not be a way to. We have to accept this and move on."

Suzie wasn't stupid. She knew Rinchei was trying to tell her she couldn't get Lopmon and the others back and he was trying to let her down easy. She looked up at him with large shaking purple orbs and an expression of pure misery on her face.

"B-but I want to help…" Her lower lip quivered as she talked. "I want to help the others and…" She took a shallow breath, trying to keep tears in her eyes. "I-I want to see Lopmon again!"

Suzie lost control and broke down completely, sobbing into Rinchei's leg and not caring who saw. Her older brother knelt down on the sidewalk and wrapped his arms around her in a brotherly embrace before lifting Suzie into his arms and letting her bury her face in his neck as she cried. He knew people were looking at them puzzlingly, yet just spared them a quick glance.

He hugged his sister close as he made his way home, watching the sun sink into the earth in front of him.

_So Suzie went home, her goal in a bind,_

_The thoughts of talking to Santa already out of mind._

* * *

_With courage and hope finally renewed,_

_The Digimon traveled without feud._

_They hoped they're journey would soon end,_

_And they would be reunited with their friends._

Lopmon smiled and hummed a soft tune to herself as the group passed the village of Tsuchidaramon. She hadn't been around when the other Tamers had visited it, but Terriermon told her they had stayed the night with the bear-Digimon and had made good friends with them. The little Tsuchidaramon ran up to Terriermon and danced around him, obviously happy to see their friend again. Terriermon was less than enthusiastic as they swarmed over him.

Lopmon giggled, covering her mouth with her ears. Her laughter was interrupted by an elder Tsuchidaramon walking over to her. "Hello, there, miss." He smiled down at her. It appeared the Tsuchidaramon's natural kindness was amplified by the holiday.

Lopmon bowed respectfully unconsciously. "Hello, elder."

"Where are you and your companions going on this fine day?" He questioned.

Lopmon responded, "We're on a mission for the Sovereign. We're looking for a wish-granting Digimon known as Lampmon. We know where to find him," She paused for a moment. "But it may take us awhile to get there…"

The elder looked at Lopmon for a moment before saying, "Well, I don't see why we can't help you. Where are you going?"

"We first have to make it to the rock that looks like a Vilemon," She told the bear Digimon. Calumon was playing with the little Tsuchidaramon in the background while they jumped on poor Terriermon. MarineAngemon simply watched.

The elder laughed in surprise. "Well, I hate to tell you, but it's at least a three day walk to get to the Vilemon rock."

Lopmon's face fell. "B-but IceDevimon said our only threshold is Christmas Eve night to Christmas morning, and that's in _two_ days! We still have to get to his mountain, too, and it's almost dark!" She sighed. "We'll never get there in time for Christmas…"

The elder patted Lopmon's help. "We may be able to get you there sooner…"

Lopmon looked up and her eyes lit up. "Really? How?"

The elder called the Tsuchidaramon together and smiled at the little Digimon. He looked around and told his village, "The Tamed Digimon are on a mission and require our assistance. The need to get to," he looked down at Lopmon, gesturing her to finish.

"A tunnel! A tunnel to the east of the Vilemon rock!" She cried out for the village to hear her.

The Tsuchidaramon murmured to one another. The elder quieted them and announced, "We can help you reach your destination with this." He walked to the far side of the village with the Tamed Digimon following him, wondering what it could be. He led them around the village to its outskirts, where the Digimon saw a sight they never thought they would.

"That's a..." Calumon trailed off.

"Big train!" MarineAngemon finished, staring at it in shock.

The rabbit twins were standing silent with their mouths hanging open. It was, indeed, a big train. With four eyes. And a big toothy mouth. It was long and a brownish-red color.

The elder Tsuchidaramon walked up to the train and said, "This, my friends, is Worm, our Trailmon friend."

Lopmon had indeed heard of Trailmon, but knew they didn't often come to this part of the Digital World. Instead, they seemed to enjoy going around Ebonwumon's sector and taking joy rides there. She had no idea Christmas would some how compel them to come here!

"He dropped by here earlier today, offering to take us around the Digital World," The elder continued. "He stuck around for awhile and we know that he'll be the perfect method of transportation for you."

Lopmon now noticed the train tracks beneath the Trailmon. The stopped in front of him, but seemed to stretch on forever behind him. How in the word were they supposed to get to the tunnel if there was no track?

The elder ushered them toward the Trailmon as his doors opened. "Come on, now. You have a mission, don't you?" He winked at the group.

Calumon grinned, cheering as he flew inside the Trailmon, followed by MarineAngemon. Terriermon and Lopmon looked a little skeptical, but a booming voice interrupted their thoughts.

"Get on in, now, you two!" Both Digimon jumped upon realizing it came from the Trailmon. "I'll get ya there fine, got that?"

The two looked at each other and then back at the Trailmon. They looked back at each other and shrugged, running after their friends. Lopmon paused before she entered and turned around, bowing thankfully to the Tsuchidaramon. She tried to keep her normal calm look, but the mask cracked and an overjoyed one broke through. She could've sworn she saw a twinkle in the elder's eyes just before the door closed and the Trailmon started to move. Lopmon quickly leaped up onto a seat and waved good-bye to the village. The Tsuchidaramon waved back, continuing until they were out of sight.

"Hey, Lopmon!" Lopmon turned her head to see Terriermon, hanging out the window by his ears. "Come over here! You gotta see this!"

Lopmon leaped up and scampered over to him, moving herself into the same position and gasped at the sight. As the Trailmon- Worm- thundered forward, train tracks seemed to materialize in front of him.

"Well… There's something you don't see every day…" Lopmon breathed, leaning back into Worm's interior.

At that moment, the Digital World made its switch into night, making the decorations on the Digital Plane shine like distant ground-stars. Lopmon admired them for a moment before looking around the car, spying Calumon and MarineAngemon curled up and fast asleep. The white Digimon was leaning against the angel-fairy, who in turn was sitting on a seat and leaning against the wall. She then heaved an almighty sigh and sunk into a nearby seat, feeling awfully tired at the moment. Terriermon followed her lead and curled up, wrapping his ears around his body.

The car filled with silence for what seemed like an eternity.

"Hey, Terriermon?" The question broke the silence.

"Mmm?" The response was filled with exhaustion.

"Do you think we'll really find Lampmon?" Silence. "Terriermon?" Snoring. A sigh.

* * *

A/N:

Next Time: Christmas is fast-approaching and Suzie's still no closer to finding the Digimon than in the beginning! Has she given up? And what's going on with the other Tamers? What'll happen when several people have a few unexpected heart-to-hearts? Find out next time in _Digimon Tamers: What is Christmas Spirit, Anyway?_!


	6. Day 6

A/N: Parts of this chapter were inspired by a.) the Tamers Drama CD (you know Japanese? TRANSLATE!!!) and the 6th movie, A.K.A. Runaway Digimon Express (Runaway Locomon to all us U.S. dub watchers). These two things didn't happen in this universe, so, well, they kind of inspired me. That, and I dedicate this chapter to all those who enjoy those two things (TRANSTLATE!!!) and to any Rukato fans that happened to stick around. There's a long friendship scene in here for you guys. I liked writing it, but I can't write romance between them well (or at all). It would follow in the footsteps of most of the fics I've seen and be wildly OOC…

Down in the second-to-last scene I have flashbacks galore. Just skim them to see which ones they are, if you wish.

;cough; Anyway, I hope you all enjoy this chapter. I had fun writing it!

Disclaimer: … I'm not saying it this time…

Takato: ;sigh; She doesn't own us, she's just borrowing us…

* * *

_2 Days Until Christmas_

Rika didn't know why, but she always enjoyed a nice quiet walk. She hadn't taken one in quite awhile, but she decided she needed one to clear her head. She walked down the quiet morning streets of her neighborhood, inwardly happy that they seemed to be disserted at this time.

Her thoughts were centered on Renamon, mainly. It was painfully obvious that she missed her, even to her mother. That was the reason she'd volunteered to host the Tamers' Party this year; she'd throw the best party ever and make her daughter forget about her missing partner, at least temporarily. Rika'd heard from her grandmother and thought the gesture was nice, but her mother didn't realize something: she could never forget Renamon.

Renamon showed her friendship. Renamon showed her concern. Renamon showed her compassion. While the other Tamers had done the same, Renamon had been there first, slowly melting the icy shell Rika had put around herself to keep others out. Renamon had opened her up so she could let others in and for that she was eternally grateful.

Absentmindedly, Rika started to hum a soft tune, running over the words in her head. _Every morning, every night; You watch over me like the sun in the sky; Every morning and every night; Will you promise to be my guardian light?_

"That's a nice song," A voice came from behind Rika and she stopped walking, frowning. She turned around to see Ryo, standing a few feet away from her. "I'd love to hear it with words."

Rika frowned deeper. "I don't like singing."

Ryo tilted his head to the side. "Really? Then why were you humming just now?"

The frown turned into a scowl. "Well, I didn't know I'd have an audience…" She grumbled.

Ryo smiled slightly. "I just didn't know you sang, that's all." The smile irritated Rika for some reason.

She retorted, "I don't tend to in public." She lowered her voice and muttered, "Why'd someone else have to hear?"

Of course, Rika's luck was off today and Ryo just so happened to catch her comment. "'Someone else'?" He walked closer, a confused but amused look on his face. "Someone else heard you sing?"

Rika rolled her eyes and responded inattentively. "A year ago. It was just Takato."

The so-called Legendary Tamer now seemed interested. "Takato, huh?" He gave her a teasing look that made the red-head mix a glare with her scowl.

"For your information, it was just an accident." She then glanced away and added in a less hostile tone, "Besides, I would never do that to Jeri."

Ryo knew what she meant and let it die there. He made a mental note to talk to Takato about it later, though... Much later… When Rika wasn't within a fifty mile radius… Heck, why not just invite the goggled-boy to Kyushu? Rika probably couldn't hear him ask there, right?

Rika took this time to change the subject. "What are you doing here? Stalking me?"

Ryo responded with a patented Ryo-Smirk. "Come on, Rika; do I seem like the kind to stalk?"

"Well, I never know with you." Rika responded with a smirk of her own, matching his stare evenly. "What are you doing here, then?"

Ryo's smirk lessened and he grinned inwardly as he noticed a familiar playfulness in her eyes. The relationship between the two of them was an odd one. Sometimes Ryo thought she hated him, but others it was like they were old friends. Recently he'd been getting on her bad side, but today seemed to be a good day… He hoped…

"My hotel's on the edge of your neighborhood and I was in the mood for a walk," Rika's mouth opened to say something. Ryo beat her to it. "No, I didn't know where the hotel was; my dad picked it out."

Rika closed her mouth and turned around, beginning to walk again. She made no objections to his being there, nor did she give him the look that meant she wanted him to leave, so Ryo trotted up and walked beside her. The two walked in silence for awhile, just thinking.

Ryo decided to try his hand at striking up a conversation. The two of them seemed on speaking terms today, so why not try it?

"So, what do you think about the Digital Field opening?" Silence. Ryo hesitantly continued. "Do you think there will be more?" He added a silent question in his mind. _How are we going to fight what comes out?_

Rika sighed, her eyes closed as she walked. "No one knows; maybe it was just a coincidence. It's been three years since we've gotten any evidence that our worlds are still connected, so why would now be so special. We should just focus on finding a way to get those Baby Digimon back into their world."

Ryo was surprised at how calmly she was analyzing this. He was almost positive Rika would've gotten mad at him for bringing up this subject, especially with him knowing how close she and Renamon were.

_Are_, Ryo mentally corrected himself. Even though the Tamers and their partners were separated, they would always have a special bond that not even a barrier between dimensions could destroy.

Rika continued her musings, snapping Ryo back into reality. "Besides, there really isn't anything we could do if more Digital Fields opened up. We're only humans and we're useless without our Digimon, no matter how much experience we've had in battle."

An uncomfortable silence enveloped the two and Ryo was beginning to regret even asking the question. Rika didn't even seem to realize he was there anymore; it was more like she was just voicing her thoughts… or fears…

"Well," Ryo started reassuringly, "If the Digimon know the barrier's down, I'm sure they'll try their best to get back here…"

Rika scoffed and muttered, "If, he says…"

It was about this time that Ryo had a mental alarm ringing through his head. Much like Spider-Man and his Spider-Senses, Ryo could almost always tell when Rika was losing her cool. Sadly, it happened around him a lot lately. Now, the normal 17-year-old boy would most likely let her cool off and not do anything that may provoke her, especially if she most likely envisioned his head on a stake when she needed a happy thought. Ryo, however, just had to have been born with that little trait that made him keep on poking at a problem until it was solved or worse.

"Rika…?" Ryo started uncertainly, the alarm in his head blaring in his ears.

Rika stopped walking and drew up a scowl. "It's always 'if' this, 'if' that; there are so many 'What if' possibilities! If they find out about the Digital Fields first of all, and then if there's even a way back and then if they can even stay in the Real World; there're so many places where everything can go wrong that it starts to seem like we'll never see them again!" She clenched her fists angrily and then added, "And what if they don't even want to get back? They've been there so long they may think we've forgotten about them…"

Ryo blinked at her words. It appeared she'd done a lot of thinking about this… All the little possibilities were swimming in his head as well, but she really seemed to be considering each and every one. It must have been maddening… Ryo put a hand on Rika's shoulder, trying to find the words to say.

Rika's expression softened and she frowned, looking at the ground. "Renamon was my first real friend; she did a lot for me and with this Digital Field opening up, I just can't help but think I'm not going to see her again…"

"I'm sure we'll find a way to get them back," Ryo tried.

Rika quickly jerked away from him, her glare back with a vengeance. "When? Tomorrow? In a week? The day after tomorrow? In ten years? When?.!."

Ryo flinched slightly at her sudden anger. He decided maybe he could give her a bit of an answer… "Well, someday, but-"

Rika cut him off, "That's not good enough!"

Ryo swallowed his words and found he couldn't bring up any other ones to say. Rika gave him one last heated look before running down the street. Ryo opened his mouth to say something a moment too late and then closed it, staring after her. He couldn't believe it; less than a minute ago they'd been talking civilly and it was over in the blink of an eye.

Ryo heaved an almighty sigh and shook his head. "I'm an idiot."

* * *

Suzie moaned and kicked in her sleep, reaching out and gripping the covers. "Lopmon… Lopmon, come back…" She mumbled in sleep-talk.

_In Suzie's dream, Lopmon was slowly walking away from her. Suzie should've been able to catch up to her, but for some strange reason, she couldn't catch up to her. Suzie yelled and called her name, getting the rabbit-dog to turn around. Suzie smiled and sighed, reaching out to her partner. Her relief turned into fear when a giant red blob- the D-Reaper- rose up behind Lopmon, forming itself into a giant mouth._

"_Lopmon!" Suzie called. "Lopmon, run!"_

_Lopmon simply stood there, smiling at her Tamer serenely. She then tilted her head to the side and asked, "Why did you leave me, Suzie?"_

_The D-Reaper leaned forward and leaned down over Lopmon, it's blob-like attributes morphing into ones of a giant red monster, it's teeth dripping with saliva._

"_Lopmon!" Suzie screamed, trying to run, but finding she couldn't move. The monster opened it's mouth wide, leaning down more._

"_Why did you abandon me?" Lopmon asked, sounding genuinely curious._

_The monster's teeth paused for a moment before snapping shut. The last Suzie could see of Lopmon, she was waving good-bye to her Tamer._

"LOPMON!"

Her eyes shot open and she sat up straight, gasping and panting. She shook her head to get the nightmare out of her mind, focusing her eyes and noticing a little Digimon blinked in front of her. It was YukimiBotomon, the little white ball with cat ears. Suzie looked at the Digimon and frowned.

"I really wish you were Lopmon instead…" The Digimon visibly shrunk sadly, her eyes growing larger and sadder. Suzie's frown softened and she couldn't stay angry. She began petting her softly. "But I guess you're kind of cute."

YukimiBotomon perked up, looking up at Suzie joyfully. She snuggled up to the human girl and Suzie smiled sadly. The Tamer then frowned when YukimiBotomon was looking away. _Lopmon…_

* * *

Cold afternoon winter air nipped at Henry's face as he walked down the street with several bags filling his arms. He was just finishing up last minute shopping for his family and himself and hadn't noticed the sudden drop in the temperature. He was afraid it was going to be a _really_ white Christmas this year…

He'd volunteered to do the shopping mainly to clear his head of recent things, the sight of his little sister crying in his older brother's arms being one of them. When he'd asked Rinchei what was going on, he merely shook his head and took Suzie to her room. Henry couldn't stand to see his sister cry. In order to help, he volunteered to go out and do some shopping, picking something up for her on the way.

Of course, not only Suzie was on his mind.

_Henry glared angrily at his father. "You knew, didn't you?! You knew this would happen when you scanned Terriermon!" Henry hugged the small Digimon in his arms, not wanting him to leave._

"_I had no other choice," Janyu responded, "The fate of the world was at stake." He looked at his son, trying to make him understand. "I couldn't let everything and everyone we loved be destroyed, Henry!"_

_Henry's glare intensified until a small voice called to him. "Henry!"_

_Henry looked down, seeing Gummymon smiling in his arms. "Huh?"_

"_Moumantai!"_

The thoughts of his partner still lingered, making him seem a little down. He tried to stay cheerful for the holidays, he really did, but all he could remember was when he first saw Terriermon. He'd met Terriermon around Christmas time, so the holiday brought back painful memories of his partner. He knew Terriermon wouldn't want him feeling sad, but he just couldn't help it.

"Ah, Henry? Hello?"

Henry blinked and noticed someone standing in front of him. Apparently, he'd stopped in the middle of the sidewalk and he stood in someone's way. Kenta's way, to be precise… Well, Kenta and a mountain of bags and gifts.

Henry moved to the side quickly. "Sorry Kenta, er…" He eyed the tittering tower of boxes. "Do you, uh, need any help with that?"

Kenta shook his head, causing the boxes to sway. "No, I'm fine!" His voice said otherwise though and Henry put down his bags, snatching a few packages that were about to topple.

Henry smirked at Kenta. "Forgot to do all your shopping?"

"I was waiting for the sales…" Kenta shuffled his feet. "I thought I'd have more time…"

"Apparently." Henry remarked, scanning all the boxes. "Just how many presents did you have to buy?"

"Well, I have one for each of my parents, one for each of you guys (the other Tamers, I mean), one for Mr. and Mrs. Matsuki for putting up with me and Kazu getting their son into trouble for all these years, one for Mr. and Mrs. Shiota for me not stopping Kazu with all his antics, um…." Kenta paused. "I know there's more…"

Henry let out an exasperated sigh. "Geez, Kenta, how many more people do you buy things for?"

"Just a few!" Kenta retorted. Then he paused again. "…I think…" Henry looked on in disbelief as Kenta made a real effort to remember how many more gifts he'd bought. "Oh, yeah!" The Tamer with glasses cried, finally remembering. "And one for MarineAnge-!" Kenta stopped, biting his tongue. He flushed slightly and looked away, embarrassed.

"… Kenta…" Henry sighed, giving him a sympathetic look.

"Sorry…" Kenta mumbled.

"How long have you been doing this?" Henry questioned.

"A few years." Kenta confessed. "It started after the left; next month was Christmas, as you know, and I was out shopping. I saw a little toy that reminded me of MarineAngemon and I just couldn't pass it up. I figured when we eventually _did_ see them again, I'd, well, give it to him…" Kenta shook his head in shame. "I became obsessed with it and now have a gift for him for every holiday imaginable…"

Henry frowned at Kenta, but could understand where he was coming from. He out of all of them had been with his Digimon for the shortest amount of time, maybe with the exception of Ai and Mako. It was to be expected that _something_ would happen.

Henry just gave Kenta an understanding look. "It's all right, Kenta; we all have little things we do to remind us of them. Yours just happens to be buying things."

"I suppose you're right…" Kenta then chuckled sheepishly. "I just wish it was something that didn't burn away my money…"

Henry joined him in laughing for a moment, glad he was remembering his own partner and not feeling sad. Henry helped Kenta with his packages and bags, finding a way for him to carry them easier, and then bid the other boy farewell and told him he'd see him at the Tamers' Party tomorrow. Henry continued walking back to his house, a small smile on his lips. Even though he still missed Terriermon, he was glad he could still remember him happily.

* * *

Takato walked down the snow-covered path in Shinjuku Park. The white flakes littered the sky and fell on Takato's brown messy hair, giving it a speckled look. The Tamer was just walking around, having nothing really to do until the Tamers' Party the next day. He found himself at a part of the park where Kazu, Kenta and he used to play the Digimon Card Game. He smiled dimly as he realized he would often meet his friends from school here, before and after Guilmon. He'd had a lot of good times here and now he just enjoyed the park for thinking purposes. Takato enjoyed walking up to the swings, sitting down, and just pondering out his latest problem. He was doing just that, walking up to his regular swing and already thinking. He had one problem, though…

His swing was occupied.

Sitting in his swing was one Rika Nonaka, looking quite contemplative. She swung her legs in the snow, making the swing rock back and forth ever so slightly.

Takato frowned nervously, making a small noise of discomfort. "Not again…" He walked up to Rika slowly, clearing his throat to get her attention. This didn't work. "Ah, Rika? Not to bother you or anything, but are you aware that you're-?"

"Do you remember spring of last year?" Rika interrupted him, sounding eerily calm.

Takato didn't exactly know where she was going with this. "Um, yeah?"

"That was the first time anyone outside of my immediate family had heard me sing." Rika responded, still possessing that eerie calm tone.

"Oh…" _Now_ he knew what she was referring to. How could he forget?

* * *

_15-year-old Takato Matsuki had a problem. That problem had a name. Its name was Jeri Katou._

_Now, not to say Jeri was the problem, per se, but part of it, yes. The true problem was caused by the upcoming Spring Fling, __the tenth grade welcome dance (1)__. Takato wanted more than anything to gather up the courage to ask Jeri, but nothing was going his way. He wanted to make it clear he didn't want to go as in a friendly way, but, well, a romantic one. This was where problem one presented itself: Takato was in no way romantic. To complicate things more, he'd known Jeri since the two of them were in kindergarten. They'd known each other for so long that Takato having any sort of feelings for her was, well, awkward. Mix in a big heaping helping of hormones and puberty and we have Takato's latest recipe for embarrassment._

_It was times like these that Takato just needed to sit down and think. So, as per usual, he was heading to his favorite thinking place: The swings in Shinjuku Park. Not many children played here anymore, so it made for the perfect tranquil thinking place._

_He didn't seem to be the only one who thought so, too._

_Takato blinked as a soft melody entered his ears. "Singing?" He tip-toed forward to hear better and see who it was who was occupying his favorite spot._

_The singing grew louder as Takato grew closer and he could make out the words._

"Promise me we'll stay for the sunset,

And when the moon shines through the darkness.

We can find the path that leads us home,

And on the way you'll… maybe… sing me a song,_"_

_Takato found himself intrigued by this. For one, the person (a female, he assumed) had a very nice voice. For another, the goggled Tamer didn't often listen to music, so he was naturally interested in hearing the song. _

_He peered out from behind a tree adjacent to the swings and…_

_Takato's jaw dropped to the ground when he saw who the voice belonged to. _RIKA?!_ He hadn't really been expecting this. The singing continued._

"Promise that you always will be there,

Hold my hand if ever I'm real scared,

Help me stand up tall when I fall down,

Make me laugh away all my bluest days._"_

_It was around this time that Takato couldn't help but notice the sad look on Rika's face. He took a few steps forward, careful to stay being the tree._

"How could you promise you always would be there?

Why'd you have to go away somewhere?

Every morning into every night,

Do you watch over me like the sun in the sky?

Am I all alone, or standing in your light?

I wish that I could… maybe… sing you a song…

Tonight…_"_

_Takato looked on, frowning sadly. That song was so sad…_

"You promised me we'd stay for the sunset…_" As the song finished, Rika sighed, looking down at the dirt-covered ground. She kicked her feet back and forth, kicking up some of the stray dirt._

_Takato couldn't help but take another step forward, if only just to see if she was going to sing again. However, Lady Luck seemed to not like Takato recently and the teenager didn't notice the stick he was about to step on until a split-second too late. Rika's head snapped up and she glared toward the direction of the noise. Takato panicked. He made an expression of fear mixed with surprise and slowly started backing away._

"_Okay, whoever's there better come out right now or I'll chase you down!" Rika yelled at the trees, making Takato cringe._

She'd do it, too_, The goggle-boy's mind reminded him. _

_Takato found he had no other choice than to revile himself to Rika's fury. The red-haired girl glared at him and for a moment Takato was sure she was going to leap at him and beat him silly._

_To hopefully prevent this, Takato began his ramble of an apology. "I'm sorry, Rika! I didn't mean to hear! I was just coming here to think over some recent problems and I heard your singing and I got curious and you're really good and I got too close for my own good and PLEASE DON'T KILL ME!" To emphasize his point, Takato bowed his head and moved his hands up in a sort of prayer/apology._

_Silence was his answer and Takato looked up, confused, to see Rika standing before him with her hands on her hips. Upon further inspection, Takato realized she seemed to be smiling, and not that kind smiling or arrogant smiling, but just smiling… It was weird._

"_Uh, Rika…?" Takato straightened himself and gave her a puzzled look._

_Rika sighed, turning around and walking over to a large structure Takato often played the Digimon Card Game in. She stood in front of it, her back to her companion. The Hazard Tamer frowned at her reaction. He was sure she would've either a.) tried to knock him senseless, b.) threaten him to not tell anyone, c.) roll her eyes and mock him a bit, or d.) all of the above. He didn't expect her to react this… oddly. Concerned and slightly freaked out, Takato hesitantly approached Rika._

"_Rika, are you…okay?" No response. "I mean, you don't normally act like this; if I did something wrong before, you'd always at least react…" Still no response. "You don't have to talk if you don't want to, I suppose…"_

"_I was remembering," Takato blinked at Rika's response. "I don't sing very much, but when I do…I remember things…" Rika turned around, an indifferent look on her face. "I used to sing with my father when I was young… Well, I would sing, he would listen. One day, he wasn't there to listen anymore. He left."_

_Takato's mouth was open slightly as he tried to find the words to help. Rika's response was a gentle smile, something he didn't see often._

"_Don't bother. I've gotten over it mostly." She turned her attention to the sky. "I guess I was just in a remembering mood today." She then frowned, annoyed. "Though I don't see why the remembering couldn't have waited a little bit…"_

_Takato chuckled, glad to see Rika back to her normal self. She was- _and probably always will be_, Takato noted- one of his closest friends, even though she didn't admit it or act like it some days. He knew she probably felt the same about him and the rest of the Tamers, despite the fact she'd never tell them in words._

"_Hey, Goggle-Head!" Rika's voice snapped Takato back to reality. "You ever tell anyone about that and I'll strangle you with that fashion statement on your head, got it?"_

"_Got it!" Takato yelped. He paused and then added, "Under one condition…" Rika shot him a genuinely bewildered glance. Takato grinned. "That swing you were sitting in is sort of my thinking place…" He let Rika draw her own conclusions._

_The red-head rolled her eyes at Takato and shook her head. "You're one of a kind, Takato…" She followed up with, "What's that problem you mentioned earlier?"_

_Takato's face promptly turned the color of Rika's hair. "Well, it's a funny story…"_

* * *

Takato remembered that day quite fondly. That day, he learned something new about his friend. He treasured days like that.

Of course, the dance hadn't gone so well, he reflected. Rika tried to help him, but, well, he choked last minute and asked Jeri if she'd want to go as a big group instead of on a romantic evening… He still had _some _fun, though.

Takato forced himself back into reality, remembering Rika was the one who reminded him of that time. He saw her, still sitting on the swing with her feet in the snow.

"Rika, what's wrong?" Takato asked timidly.

"I sang again today," Rika responded slowly, looking at her feet.

Takato cringed, recalling Rika's explanation for why she sang. "Renamon, huh?" Rika nodded, frowning. "I've been the same lately," Takato admitted. "With Guilmon, of course," He put in as an afterthought. "I can't help but think I'm not going to be able to keep my promise to him." He paused. "I guess the Baby Digimon brought up bad memories for all of us…but we shouldn't be focusing on only the bad." Rika looked up for the first time. "I mean, we had fun with our partners. We may miss them, but I don't think they'd really want us to be this sad over them, especially at this time of year."

Rika smirked at Takato in a cheerful manner. "You know what, Goggle-Head? You're right."

Takato sighed inwardly in relief. He'd been able to help out a friend and himself at the same time. Today was proving to be a pretty good day.

Rika continued, "I've been overly paranoid with Renamon not coming back, but I guess I was thinking too much. Renamon's my partner and she'll come back one day. I know it."

Takato grinned and a small silence fell between the two. That is, until Takato broke it.

"Um, Rika?"

"Yeah?"

"…You're kind of sitting in my swing…"

Rika chuckled. "As I said before, Takato, you're one of a kind…"

* * *

Bright moonlight illuminated the fresh snow, making it sparkle and shine. Soft footsteps barely made a sound against the white powder as Jeri made her way through the park. She carried two large bags and a soft smile on her face. Sighing, she set the bags down and sat on a nearby bench. She looked at the sky and flushed slightly.

"I suppose I should've kept an eye on the time…" Jeri then took a closer look at the bench she was on. It seemed familiar… "Of course!"

_A significantly younger Jeri sat on the same bench with a younger Takato. Takato began to speak._

_"You see, I have this problem with my partner- I mean my friend. You see, lately he's gone through a change, and I mean a big change, and I just want things to be the same again."_

_Jeri nodded, contemplating Takato's words. "Oh…" The girl thought for a moment. _Hm, _she mused, _I bet Takato has a crush on a girl and she got taller than him, so he feels so weird around her so he wants her to be the same size as him. I know how he feels; that growth spurt I went through last week made me feel so awkward.

_Jeri's eyes widened quickly in realization. "Wait! I get it!"_

_Takato almost did a double-take. "You do?"_

_Jeri held in a giggle and took out Puppet-chan. "Uh-huh!" Puppet-chan "said". "Jeri likes you, Takato, but only as a friend! Don't worry there are plenty of other people in the world. You see?"_

_Takato looked at her uncertainly. "Uh yeah, thanks Jeri…"_

Jeri smiled fondly at the memory. She later understood she'd assumed wrong, but it was a flattering moment for her. Actually, after that day, she began thinking about Takato liking her, well, like _that_ for a long while. Maybe that was when she started really wrapping her mind around it…

That had been before she was a Tamer, of course. Before…

_A large lion-humanoid Digimon stood on a rainbow, facing a rat-like creature, Kumbhiramon. The lion's mane blew in the wind and he crossed his arms in authority. Jeri looked up at him in awe, his card in her hands. Leomon._

"_You should pick on someone your own size," Leomon chided the Rat Deva. "A true warrior battles those who are strong- only a coward fights defenseless little girls."_

_Jeri's eyes were wide with fascination as she gazed upon the warrior. She made a small sound of amazement before Leomon leaped off the rainbow._

_Throughout the day, Jeri followed Leomon and insisted they had to be partners._

"_My hero! Mr. Leomon?"_

"_You're my partner!"_

"_It's destiny!"_

"_You can't run from destiny, Mr. Leomon!"_

_Until…Jeri watched as the cards she slashed had no effect on Leomon. Dejected, she sunk to the ground._

"_I guess I'm not Leomon's Tamer after all…"_

Only a few days later, it happened.

_Makuramon held Calumon as he leaped into the sky and got ready to take him to the Digital World._

"_Calumon!" Takato cried, looking up at the rift in the sky._

_Calumon yelled and squirmed, calling down the Tamers. Suddenly, a being leaped from a rooftop._

_Jeri gasped. "It's Leomon!"_

_Leomon reached for Calumon, getting closer to Makuramon as he flew through the air. "You odious, ignorant ape, you're the one who doesn't belong!"_

_Makuramon looked down at Leomon and hit Leomon with his hand and then floated up to a rift in the sky. Large red spikes shot down at the humanoid._

"_Hey, get back!" Henry called, but to no avail._

_The spikes slammed into Leomon, sending him falling through the sky._

"_Leomon!" Jeri held up her hand toward him and a ball of light appeared in it. "Ah!"_

_Jeri pulled her hand back just as Leomon hit the ground. The ball of light floated down into her hands, shrinking and revealing a yellow-rimmed D-Ark._

"_My own Digivice!" Jeri cried in awe._

The Tamers (and Kazu and Kenta) then went to the Digital World to save Calumon. They made many new friends along the way and had wondrous and dangerous adventures, but for Jeri the trip was bittersweet…

"_But I'm not strong at all, especially for a Tamer," Jeri said sadly, looking away from her partner. "I'm sorry you have to be stuck with me, Leomon."_

_The group was riding in the desert, looking for Calumon, Takato, Henry, and Terriermon. The latter three were separated during a Digital Storm, leaving the group with three more missing friends. Along the way, Kazu had received his Digimon, Guardromon. The weary group had been traveling through the desert for days, but they had no luck. Rika and Jeri rode Kyubimon and Kenta and Kazu sat on Growlmon's head._

_Leomon looked fondly at Jeri. "Jeri…"_

_Jeri looked up. "Huh?"_

"_You have the true heart of a lion," Leomon told her. "That's all you need; it's not strength or power that makes a good partner, its heart. Besides, there's no one else I'd rather be with._

"_Uh… Leomon, thank you…"_

Jeri adored her partner and wanted to be with him always. Of course, later that day she lost him. For good.

_Jeri watched in horror as Beelzemon stalked up to Kyubimon, ready to finish her off. "All right, chatty, any last words?"_

"_Impmon… please…" Kyubimon choked out, shuddering in pain._

"_Be quiet!" Beelzemon roared._

_Rika was frantic. "Oh no! Kyubimon, please get up! You have to get away!" She fingered through her cards, her eyes dashing from one to the next. She looked back at the fight with fear. "These stupid cards are useless! I can't do anything!"_

_Beelzemon growled and raised his claws high, ready to stab Kyubimon. "Enough! I must destroy you once and for all! Err!"_

"_Don't be…so blind!" Kyubimon tried reasoning._

"_I said quiet!" Beelzemon yelled, trusting his claw toward Kyubimon's head._

_Jeri thought it was all over for poor Kyubimon when… Beelzemon's hand just stopped. Someone had grabbed his arm! He turned around to see the one who had stopped him from deleting the fox. It was Leomon! Jeri gasped, frightened._

"_I don't know who you are, but I do know you're being used," Leomon rumbled. "This power you've been given, is it worth hurting these children to keep it?"_

_Beelzemon pulled his arm, trying to break free. "You don't know anything!"_

_Leomon countered with two swift punches to the jaw, dropping Beelzemon's arm. "To have power is not to be strong," Leomon said knowingly. "You see, I know that better than anyone." Leomon looked at Jeri and the two shared a look that seemed to last forever. In it, he told her all he ever could: How sorry he was, how he wanted to be there to protect her, … how she had to move on when he was gone._

_"Ah, Leomon…" Jeri drew back for a moment, her face filled with fear._

_Leomon fixed his look on Beelzemon again. "Do what you must, Beelzemon, but I will not let you hurt these children!"_

_Beelzemon growled, annoyed at the lion-humanoid. He screamed and plunged his claw into Leomon's stomach… and right out the other side. Leomon screamed in pain as the Tamer watched on in disbelief. Jeri could feel her world crumbling around her, the very ground she stood on melting away. Leomon fell to the ground, data swirling around the spot Beelzemon stabbed. Jeri was barely aware when Kyubimon shot upward and attacked Beelzemon, only to be smacked back down. Leomon's data began to appear and float away._

"_Why… can't you see?" Leomon asked as he laid there, his arms spread out like an eagle's wings. "Why can't you try to understand the truth?"_

_Tears escaped Jeri's eyes and she began to shake her head as the rolled down her face. She heard Kazu and Kenta's voice, trembling in disbelief, Suzie's sobbing and Henry's uncertain comment, but she didn't register any of it. All she saw was Leomon. Leomon… dying… His body was already gone and Jeri stood there, watching it all._

"_Be brave, Jeri," Leomon's voice echoed as he spoke his last words. "Part of me will always be with you. Remember, you have a lion's heart."_

_Jeri remembered what he told her earlier and froze, watching as the last of his data floated away. This wasn't happening… This was all a bad dream… She'd fallen asleep on Kyubimon and when she woke up Leomon would comfort her and Rika would ask her what was wrong. She'd be safe with her friends and they'd find Calumon and Takato and they'd all go home… They'd all go home… This wasn't real; this was all a dream!_

…_But as Jeri's D-Ark screen faded and filled with static, the young girl's life shattered into a million little pieces, making her realize _that _was the dream._

_Jeri trembled and then let out an almighty scream. "NOOOOOO!" She gripped her head and broke-down completely as Beelzemon absorbed Leomon's data, forever taking her partner from her._

And that began Jeri's depression and sadness. Nothing could stop her from thinking the worst of everything; she felt like she was just a shell, like she could never really live again. Then came the D-Reaper. That red monster took her and used her sadness to fuel itself, hurting everyone around her. She and Calumon were trapped within the D-Reaper's core. The entire time, he was trying to make her feel better.

_Jeri was wrapped up in the D-Reaper's cords while Calumon sat in front of her._

"_Jeri, you've got to at least try to feel better," The small white Digimon told her. "If you keep getting down on yourself everything's only gonna get worse." He frowned. "This isn't your fault, you know, it's the D-Reaper."_

_Jeri sat with her miserable expression. "But it picked me, didn't it?"_

"_Your self's just feeling sorry." Calumon stood up and spread his arms wide, smiling at her. "You gotta look on the bright side of things, Jeri! Think about all the good stuff in your life like great friends like me! Don't you wanna be happy again?"_

"_Do I deserve to be, Calumon?" Jeri responded. "What if all my great friends get erased because of me. What then?"_

"_Aw, Jeri," Calumon's reassuring voice entered her ears. "Just think of how happy you could be if you didn't try so hard to make yourself so sad."_

_Jeri tried to take his words to heart, but the more she thought about it, the more she felt like everything was her fault. Everyone was getting hurt and all because of her. She had to do something to stop it… She had just the idea…_

_Calumon was dozing off when Puppet-chan shot into his face. "Ruff!" Calumon yelped as his ears extended, falling backwards. "It's her fault!" Jeri turned Puppet-chan toward herself. "Everything is all Jeri's fault! Yup!"_

_Jeri stopped moving Puppet-chan's mouth and began referring to herself in third person as Calumon backed away slowly. "If Jeri wasn't around anymore," Calumon stood up, looking at Jeri sadly, "no more bad stuff would happen!" Calumon's ears shrunk into his head. "Nobody would ever get hurt, especially not Takato!"_

_Calumon tried reasoning with her. "Jeri, please, you gotta snap outta this. If you don't fight back the D-Reaper really will win!"_

_A voice came from above, Jeri's voice. This, however, was not Jeri herself, but a clone who served as the D-Reaper's main agent. "The D-Reaper has already _won_, foolish Digimon. The being called Jeri has taught the D-Reaper everything it needs to know about humans. Nothing they have can beat D-Reaper. Nothing…"_

_Jeri couldn't take it anymore. Everything was getting to her. She knew the world was in danger all because of her. She knew everyone was going to die if she lived. She couldn't take it. She decided to do something to stop it._

"_It's time to go!" Jeri yelled, gripping her throat with Puppet-chan and squeezing hard. If she hadn't been so distraught, she would've realized she couldn't _really_ strangle herself, but she decided to try._

"_NOOO!" Calumon leaped up and grabbed Puppet-chan, tossing him away. Jeri stared in shock at the little Digimon. He sobbed on her knees, begging now. "Don't listen to that rag! Don't you know how lucky you are?" He looked up at her and smiled sadly. "Everybody loves to see you smiling, Jeri."_

_Jeri looked down at him. "Uh…" She felt tears well up in her eyes._

"_Takato, Guilmon, especially me. It's true."_

_Jeri reached down and picked up Calumon. He made a small noise of surprise and gave Jeri a confused look._

"_Calumon." Jeri smiled at him just before the D-Reaper's cords shot forward and grabbed him, pulling him away from her. He screamed and struggled as the cords held him tight. "No! Leave him alone!" Jeri rose to her feet, but felt more cords grab her and pull her back down. They restrained her, pulling her arms up over her head and tying her to a wall. "No! Calumon!"_

The memories inside the D-Reaper were all too real. Calumon had suffered so much to help her, but he taught her so much as well. With his help, Jeri took back her life and used her will power to help free them. She missed him so much…

_Jeri held Calumon close to her and looked at her D-Ark. "Could this be…our destiny?"_

Jeri thought more than once Calumon could've been her partner. They were close enough to be. He and Leomon taught her about herself and about life; she knew if she could've had two partners, Calumon would've been the other. Jeri sighed again, supporting her head in her hands and placing her elbows on her knees. She wished she could see them both just one more time…

Out of the corner of her eye, Jeri saw a shadow moving along the snow. Her ears twitched slightly as footsteps not as delicate as hers also entered her ears. She looked up, removing her arms from her knees and her head from her hands, and spied a familiar boy walking down the street.

"Ryo?" She questioned.

Ryo stopped, peering over to her. Jeri shifted a little so her face was in the light. Ryo smiled when he recognized her.

"Well, hi Jeri," He walked over. "I didn't expect to see you out here."

Jeri smiled embarrassedly. "Yeah, I sort of lost track of time."

Ryo looked at his watch. "Well, it isn't that late, right? You're parents wouldn't mind if you were back a little later."

The former Tamer gave Ryo a bewildered look. "Huh?"

Ryo smiled sheepishly. "I have something I want to talk to you about. Could I sit down?"

Jeri blinked and nodded. She didn't see why not. Ryo grinned and sat down next to her. "What exactly did you want to talk to me about?" Jeri inwardly wondered why he picked _her_. The two had hardly even talked in the Digital World, and even then she hadn't really had time to get to know him after they got back and everything (relatively) returned to normal.

"Well first," Ryo started, "I wanted to know how you were holding up considering … recent events."

Okay, so he was a tad blunt. Still, Jeri found it nice that he was wondering. Jeri knew everyone assumed she'd have gone back into her funk as soon as they saw the Digimon, but she surprisingly didn't. She remembered Leomon and that did make her sad in the beginning, but she then remembered Leomon wouldn't have wanted her to be sad. She'd long since realized what Leomon wanted of her and wasn't going to insult his memory anymore by being all depressed.

"I miss Leomon," Jeri admitted, "but that's never going to change." She smiled sadly. "I've already accepted that he can't come back." Jeri paused for a moment. "I suppose I'm doing all right. I do miss Calumon more, though. I want to see him again." _Leomon too_, Jeri's mind added silently. Jeri hesitated for a moment and then asked, "Do you think the Digimon will really come back?"

Ryo bit his lip. "Hm, that's a tough question… I know they _want_ to come back and hopefully they'll find a way to, but…" He trailed off, prompting a frown and a questioning look from Jeri. Ryo continued tentatively. "But I'm not sure if Cyberdramon coming back would be a good thing.

Jeri held back a gasp and recoiled slightly. How could he say that about his own partner?

Ryo winced. "See, I knew you'd react like that… Let me explain: Cyberdramon isn't like other Digimon. As Monodramon, he's a curious fun-loving little guy, but as Cyberdramon he's blood-thirsty and uncontrollable. Granted, Bio-Merging helped him begin to calm down, but I'm not sure how three years away has affected him. He may have gotten much worse. Because of that, living in the Real World may just not be an option.

"This is the longest I've been able to stay here that I can recall," Ryo admitted. "If Cyberdramon is worse than before, I'd have to either leave, which I don't think my dad would take very well, or send him back. Sending him back would be harder than losing him in the first place." Ryo smiled humorlessly. "If they do come back, I can only hope the other Tamed Digimon have had a good influence on him."

Jeri could now see where Ryo was coming from. If she had a partner like Cyberdramon, she knew it would be hard to control him. She saw how out of control the dragon had gotten after beating Majiramon. She couldn't imagine that happening all the time. It made her feel a little sorry for Ryo.

Jeri then remembered something Ryo had said. "Ryo…" She started cautiously. "You said this was the longest time you spent in the Real World that you can recall. What happened to the other 14 years?"

Ryo cringed slightly. _Whoops…_ He didn't mean to say that… Oh, boy… "Well, you see… I, um, ah… It's a funny story…" He couldn't weasel his way out of it this time.

"Well?" Jeri prodded.

Ryo sighed, defeated. "If I tell you, you have to promise not to tell anyone else."

"Promise!" Jeri swore, nodding.

"Not even Takato." Ryo added.

Jeri's face turned pink. "Not even Takato." She repeated.

Ryo sat in silence for a moment, trying to figure out how to word this. "I'm not exactly from this dimension." Stunned silence. "I don't exactly understand it either, but I have memories from another dimension. I don't exactly have all that many, but I know enough to remember I come from somewhere else."

Ryo thought it over for a moment. "Let me start from the beginning… Well, the beginning that I know of, anyway…"

Ryo explained how he remembered having partnered with other Digimon before Monodramon, an Agumon and a Veemon, and fighting against many different Digimon, not all of which he could remember. He did recall other Tamers- though he knew they weren't called that-, but didn't remember faces or names. He then told her about Milleniummon, his arch-enemy in a way. He fought against this Digimon many times, all of the seemingly victory. He vividly remembered a young boy- a friend- who he fought along side. He remembered everything about the boy except his name. That annoyed Ryo to no end.

He explained how he entered a tournament, but didn't remember much after that: Fighting a new form of Milleniummom, MoonMilleniummon, waking up in the past, meeting Monodramon, a bit of dimension hopping. Ryo recalled fighting clones of people, but couldn't remember who they were; he was almost positive one was Takato (this shocked Jeri very much).

"…And when Monodramon and I finally faced Milleniummon, now ZeedMilleniummom, I learned the truth: That monster was meant to be my real partner." Jeri gasped. Ryo continued. "With Monodramon here, that couldn't happen, he said. The two started to argue and Monodramon said he felt something… something weird. The next thing I knew, the two had DNA Digivolved and produced a Digi-egg. I think I blanked out after that. I woke up here with no memories and Dad took me in. After the Digimon Card Tournament a few months later (you can guess which one), Cyberdramon came to the Real World and asked me to make him stronger. I jumped at the idea and lived in the Digital World for ten months. I found you guys, and well, I think you know the rest."

Jeri was stunned. Ryo's tale was, if anything, a little unbelievable, but with all they'd been through quite plausible. She recalled in the Digital World when Kazu and Kenta told them how Ryo knew how to get them home, but it involved another dimension. Jeri thought they were just joking, but now…

Jeri swallowed for a moment. This was all hard to take in. She barely knew Ryo before tonight, and yet now she knew his greatest secret? This position should've been reserved for someone else, not her.

Jeri decided to voice her opinions. "Ryo… Why are you telling _me_ this?"

Ryo looked at her for a moment and then shrugged his shoulders with a wordless half-smile. Somehow, that told Jeri all she needed to know.

After a few minutes, Jeri spoke up. "You wanted to talk to me about something earlier too? Why _are_ you choosing me for these things?"

Ryo smirked slightly, chuckling. "Now, this one I actually _have_ a reason for." Jeri raised her eyebrows at him mockingly. _That girl's been hanging out with Rika too much…_ "Well, this one kind of involves, ah, Rika…" Ryo grinned sheepishly. "I can't talk to Rika because of, well, obvious reasons, Henry's great with most things, but I think he understands about as much of girls as I do, Suzie's too young, ditto for the twins (and they aren't even around), Kazu and Kenta," Ryo paused, his mouth still open and his face frozen, "well… just no…" Jeri solemnly nodded her head in agreement. Ryo cleared his throat quickly to continue his list. "And, ah, well, Takato had his own girl problems- I don't think he could handle mine too," Jeri wondered what he meant here, "so that just leaves you." He hastily added, "And you and Rika _are_ pretty close. I thought you could give me some insight into the female mind…" Ryo paused again. "Well, Rika's mind, anyway…"

Jeri giggled. "So, you like Rika and you want to find some way of expressing it and keeping your head, huh?" Ryo nodded shamefully. Jeri giggled again. "Well, with a girl like Rika you have to be subtle-"

Ryo nodded. "Right, been doing that. As subtle as subtle can be."

"-But," Jeri put emphasis on that word, "you can't be too subtle."

A pregnant pause followed as Ryo stared at Jeri with a blank expression. "I will never understand girls."

Jeri tried to hold back her laughter at this. She'd never seen Ryo this clueless before! He was always the "perfect", confident, _slightly_ arrogant Ryo Akiyama, Digimon King, but now he hadn't a clue! Rika would've paid money to see this… Of course, if she knew what it was about she probably would've gone into a temporary isolation to think up a solution…

"If you're too subtle, she'll just think you're doing everything to annoy her or something," Jeri explained as if she were talking to a little child. Ryo blinked. "You can't be too obvious or else things will get awkward- they probably will anyway, but being too obvious is never good. You have to wait for the moment to come to you, but don't just sit there and let it pass you by. Seize the moment, but don't force it."

Another pause and then… "I say again: Never."

Jeri couldn't control herself now. She broke down into all-over hysterics. She almost fell off the bench and into the snow she was laughing so hard. She had tears forming in her eyes. Ryo had a slightly disgruntled look on his face, but seemed to be taking this in good humor. When Jeri finally stopped, she showed him a wide smile.

"You'll understand one day, Ryo." She then stood up and grabbed her bags. "It's been great talking to you, really it has, but I'd better get home before my parents get worried." She bowed her head ever so slightly and grinned, taking off in a swift jog down the street.

A small smile spread across Ryo's face and he chuckled a bit, standing up as well. "Thanks, Jeri…"

At the end of a long snowy tunnel, a large red-brown Trailmon jerked to a stop. The Trailmon- Worm- yelled to his passengers, "All right, everybody out! Can't go any further than this!"

The small ragtag group hopped/floated out of the Digimon, staring with the bouncing Calumon and ending with the floating MarineAngemon. Lopmon faced the Trailmon and bowed politely.

"Thank you, Worm. You've helped us more than you know."

"Aw, just go and find that Lampmon guy… Get back to where you're supposed to be, or whatnot." Worm remarked, beginning to back away along the tracks.

The Digimon waved good-bye to him until the dark tunnel swallowed up his image. Terriermon turned around first with a determined smirk on his face. He scanned the fierce winter landscape, watching the snow fly and whip around.

"What do you guys say we find ourselves a wish-granter?"

* * *

A/N: No rhymes this time because, well, I just couldn't think of good ones and, well, no places seemed right. All you fans of them wait 'til next time and you'll see them then. Only the scene between Ryo and Jeri was planned in this chapter, but I think it came out all right.

1- All right, some of you may be wondering why a dance would be a welcome dance if it's in Spring. For those of you who aren't familiar with the Japanese school system (like I wasn't until a few days ago), they're new school year starts in Spring- April 1st to be precise. It pretty much goes year-round, with three breaks (one in summer, one in winter, one in early spring- March). The school year ends at the end of March, and then the new year starts up in Spring. Hope that sets things straight for everyone.

Next Time: All right, so tomorrow's Christmas Eve and romantic tension flies! What'll go down at the Tamers' Party? And is Suzie taking this a little too far? Will she be able to get out of the mess she gets herself stuck in? Will the Digimon find Lampmon, or be swallowed up by the winter weather trying? You definitely won't want to miss the next exciting installment of _What is Christmas Spirit, Anyway?_!


	7. Day 7, Part 1

A/N: Alright, so here I am again, after God knows how long. Christmas Eve is a little…different than other days. I split Christmas Eve and Christmas Day into three parts, mostly because I was having such a hard time coordinating it all (and because Christmas Eve is long as hell). I think this works much better than my original plan, honestly, and you'll most likely be seeing part two of this three part-er tomorrow. For clarification:

Part VII: Half of Christmas Eve (relative, for this may turn out to be longer)

Part VIII: Second half of Christmas Eve and early Christmas morning

Part VIIII: Christmas Day

Disclaimer: After all these months…I'm not any closer to owning Digimon than I was before. Stop asking.

* * *

_One Day Until Christmas (Christmas Eve)_

_Now all the pieces were in play;_

_The players were ready, come what may,_

_For this story's final chapter is at hand,_

_All the characters ready for the ending grand._

* * *

Snow blew wildly around the icy wonderland, making the Digimon's fur and skin shudder.

"Where are we supposed to go again?" Terriermon inquired.

"The largest mountain in the area," Lopmon replied, glad the snow wasn't over-powering their words quite yet.

"Up there!" MarineAngemon trilled, pointing at a far-away peak.

Lopmon peered up at the mountain, frowning at it. They had certainly found the right peak, considering the top was shrouded by clouds and mist, but the terrain between the group and their destination was vast and rocky. She could make out several other peaks towering near their path and even a crevice or two.

The brown and pink rabbit-dog sighed. "Thos isn't going to be easy…"

"Moumantai; we'll make it through!" Terriermon reassured enthusiastically.

"Moumantiai!" Calumon leaped into the air as he obliviously mispronounced the word.

"Yup, yup!" The pink fairy Digimon nodded.

Lopmon swallowed, smiling nervously. "Then let's get started…"

* * *

A large snow covered building stood secluded on the outskirts of North Shinjuku. It used to be a ski resort until the old owner had sol. Now it was rented out for parties and vacations. With its many balconies and multitude of slanted roofs, it had a strange winter mystique, making it the perfect place for the Tamers' Party; at least, that's what Suzie thought.

The Deva Tamer craned her head back to see the top of the building, but found she couldn't.

"So big…" Suzie gaped in awe.

A quick poke to the back of her head made her tilt it back further, almost tumbling backward in the process. She would have in fact done just that had she not been supported by the legs of her half-smirking brother Henry.

"Come on, Suzie," He started forward and Suzie balanced herself as not to fall backward. "This is a big house. We need to get started." Jaarin, Rinchei, and her parents passed her with the baby Digimon bouncing along as well.

Suzie nodded idly, following her family. Earlier that morning, the Wong family had received a sort of S.O.S from Seiko, Rika's grandmother. She told them the resort rented out for the Tamers' Party was large- too large, in fact, for the Nonaka family to get ready in time for the party. Being the generous person she was, Mayumi gladly volunteered her whole family to help ("And we get no say in this?" Jaarin had half-whined, half-grumbled when Mayumi told them the news). Now, it was an hour before noon and two before the party- not very much time to get everything ready.

The resort's inside was just as lavish as its exterior. Great paintings of winter, spring, summer, and autumn hung alongside wreaths and portraits of who Suzie guessed were founders and other long-dead important folks. Fake snow adorned mantels while soft red and green lights danced on their edges, painting floors and faces and giving the hall a warm feeling. Several sizable doors were positioned around the entrance hall with tinsel lining the doorways. Suzie couldn't see any vents, so she supposed the building was heated with fireplaces. All and all, the entire place was a palace compared to the small eight-year-old.

"Suzie!" Suzie looked to a door on the far right to see Jaarin's head poking out. "Do we have to carry you? Hurry up!"

Suzie squeaked and dashed through the door and into the room, finding it was even more extravagant than the one before. Even more wreaths and fake snow and tinsel covered the walls and ceiling and various mantels than the previous room. This one also had two couches, one near the south wall and one on the east wall, a small leather chair in the corner between them, two more leather chairs on the west wall, a window behind the east wall, a glass patio door on the south wall, and a large afghan rug spanning from one side of the room to the other. Suzie spied a fireplace as tall as she was on the west wall, but that wasn't what amazed her the most.

About a yard to the right of the fireplace, and another yard from the wall was a massive seven-foot pine, decorated with ornaments of every shape, size, and color. Garland and tinsel hung loosely from the branches, as did multi-colored Christmas lights. At the top, a flashing star shined proudly as it overlooked everyone in the vicinity.

"It's pretty…" Suzie gawked at the tree. She tore her gaze away from the glimmering pine and turned it to her family. They stood near the southern couch with Rika; her mother, Rumiko; and grandmother, Seiko; and, surprisingly enough, Kazu and Kenta.

"Why are you two here?" Suzie questioned in curiosity.

"We can help out, can't we?" Kazu responded almost modestly.

Suzie looked at Rika quizzically and got a shrug in return. Neither could figure out what the duo was up to.

Rumiko slapped her hands together to get everyone's attention. "All right, people, let's go! This place isn't going to decorate itself, you know!"

Seiko stepped forward. "I've divided up the jobs equally so we all do our share of the work. Janyu, Mayumi; you two are going to focus on the left wing of the first floor…"

Suzie barely paid attention to the rest of the orders, even after Rika pulled her arm and told her they were working on the second floor's main wing. She would finally be able to get her friends' Christmas Spirit back. She had a plan and it was going to work.

* * *

_It _has_ to,_ she told herself.

"Takato!" Knock, knock, knock! "Takato, get out here!"

Takato raised his head from his work. "One more minute, Mom!"

"Takato, if we don't get going we'll miss the train and I am not walking to North Shinjuku!" No reply. "Takato!" Yoshie Matsuki opened the door to her son's room and marched inside, her hands on her hips and her face stern. "Takato Matsuki, what are you doing in here?"

Takato's hands were going a mile a minute as he worked. "Just finishing up a picture, Mom. I'll be done in a moment."

The Goggled Tamer sat at his desk, surrounded by pens and pencils and colored pencils of various colors and shades, many of which worn down due to repeated use. Yoshie sighed. Takato hardly ever disobeyed her nowadays unless something extreme was going on. Therefore, the only logical explanation could be…

"Son," the adult asked, "does this have to do with Jeri?"

One of Takato's hands slipped and he lost the support for his hunched body. Trying to regain his composure and balance, the Tamer shoved his body up before it hit the desk so fast that the chair he was sitting in began to tip backwards. With an extended yell, Takato wind-milled his arms to slow his decent, but that did nothing, as he soon went crashing to the ground taking the chair with him. Embarrassed, the teen quickly leaped back to his feet and nursed a small bump on his head.

"M-Mom!" Takato blushed. "Why do you think it would be about _Jeri_?.!."

Yoshie smiled knowingly. "Takato, I'm your mother and I know theses things. Besides, you're a sixteen-year-old boy; what else would it be about?"

Takato knew he could say something to counter-act that statement, but his tongue seemed lodged in his throat so he only made a slight noise of discomfort and slumped his shoulders.

"I'm just drawing something for her…" The embarrassed boy mumbled out his words when he finally found his voice again. Yoshie gazed at her son with a glint in her eyes that went unnoticed. "I want to give her something nice for Christmas, but all I can do is draw." Takato frowned in frustration.

Now it was time for the elder Matsuki to give her maternal advice. "Takato," she pulled him over to his bed and sat him down, "when your father was in college, all he could do was cook." She paused. "Actually, that hasn't changed much…" She continued her previous point as her son chuckled. "Anyway, your father and I were only friends back then, but anyone could see he had a crush the size of China on me." Takato flushed. It wasn't often he heard his mother talking about moments she and his father shared, and it was kind of odd. "He wasn't very confident in anything that had to do with girls, especially since he didn't have many talents, but he gave it a shot anyway. You know what he did?" Yoshie didn't wait for a response. "He asked me to be his girlfriend with a batch of cookies and a cake. He ended up proposing over a homemade dinner.

"He didn't think he had much of a chance, but he still tried, using what he was good at to his advantage." Yoshie took her son's hand. "Takato, you happen to be an amazing artist and you're pretty clever." Takato turned a shade of pink. "I know you can come up with something to help you." She smiled gently for a second and then stood up. "Now be down in 10 minutes or you'll be hitch-hiking a ride, clear?"

"Crystal." Takato replied with a half smile. Yoshie walked out, smirking slightly as she did. "Thanks, Mom…"

Takato returned to his desk, studying his picture. He knew just how to finish his gift.

* * *

_So the Tamers all prepared for the rest of the day,_

_Hoping their fretfulness would be chased away._

_As they gather their gifts and the youngest one planned,_

_The Digital World got ready for the day at hand._

Monodramon danced through fresh white powder, snatching flakes from the sky with his tongue and stumbling over his own claws. He felt like a little kid at times like this, even though he knew of the darkness living inside him. Ion the three years he'd been away from Ryo, he'd slowly began to regain control of the monster that dwelled within, yet he still hadn't tamed it completely. Still, he'd been able to stay in his Rookie form for longer periods of time, and as such could much better control Milleniummon.

Christmas seemed to only help his cause. The jolly holiday fueled his happy spirit and deeper buried the wicked dragon's malicious one. The small dragon Digimon had never felt so free. Now he didn't have to restrict himself and live in fear. He could truly live without worrying about Milleniummon taking over and going on a rampage.

At least during Christmas, that is.

Monodramon fell backwards into the snow and sighed, basking in the powder raining down on him and swirling through the air on his impact. He watched the Real World high above, pink data streams dancing like spot lights. Yes, this was a perfect holiday indeed.

A large red lizard-like head floated into his vision and made him yip in surprise. "Monodramon?" A child-like voice questioned. "What are you doing in the snow?"

Monodramon pushed himself to his feet clumsily, looking over the red dragon-lizard in front of him. The two were similar in many ways, but they'd never exactly gotten to know each other. He wondered why.

"I was, uh," Monodramon remembered what he'd been planning on doing and hesitated, "going to make snow angels. I spotted some Floramon making them earlier and it looked like fun, so I just thought…" Monodramon confessed, trailing off and almost swallowing his own tongue in embarrassment. This was Monodramon, the Rookie form of Cyberdramon, wanting to make snow angels? He knew it sounded silly.

Guilmon, however, didn't share that opinion. "Snow angels? Sounds like fun!"

Monodramon could barely believe it. Most of the other Tamed Digimon would laugh or tease him. Calumon or MarineAngemon may or joined in, but it wasn't the same. He couldn't believe someone – another _Digimon_ – actually understood him. Ryo had been his only friend for years, but he was in the Real World now. He never had any Digimon friends, but maybe he could find one in Guilmon.

Monodramon grinned. "Let's do it, then!"

* * *

The forest was still, fresh powder undisturbed. Not a single flake was out of place.

_ZWOOSH!_

Well, maybe a few.

Renamon leaped from branch to branch, fading in and out of reality. She would've stayed completely invisible while she was roaming, but she enjoyed feeling small bursts of powder on her fur at times. It made her feel at peace – calm, almost. She could let her mind wonder at times like these.

While Renamon knew she should've been happy, she didn't really know what to do with her time. She was happy, in a way, but something just felt wrong. From what she knew about the holiday, Christmas was a time to be with friends and family, but all of her friends were off preparing for their own forms of celebration, and as for family … well, she wasn't even sure if she had any.

Except for Rika, of course.

The kitsune was pulled from her thoughts when she noticed she had no more branches to jump to, finding herself on the edge of a usually barren plane. Now, however, it was bustling with life. Digimon of all shapes, sizes, and levels talked and mingled. Some had even set up shops. Renamon had never seen anything like it in her life, though she had to admit she enjoyed the change.

"Oh, nuts and bolts!"

Renamon turned her head upon recognizing a familiar voice. She focused on an approaching figure juggling a few large bags.

"It's Guardromon." Renamon blinked, watching the large Digimon try to keep hold of what he was holding. The Kitsune noticed he also had a Christmas tree strapped to his back. "Where in the world could he be going with all that?" Curious, she walked silently up to the distracted Guardromon. "Guardromon."

"Ah!" Guardromon lost grip on a bag and fumbled with it in mid-air in order to get it secured before it dropped, but almost losing his others in the process. "Renamon!" He cried in shock and joy. "What a pleasant surprise!"

"Guardromon, where are you going with all that?" Renamon never was a Mon to beat around the bush.

"Well," Guardromon almost dropped a bag again. "A small nursery of Baby Digimon recently lost several of its members. The Digimon taking care of them are paranoid something like that will happen again, and the younger ones are scared and depressed, so I volunteered to help out so the little ones can enjoy the holidays." He paused before continuing in an exasperated tone. "I probably should've made more than one trip, though."

Renamon was a little puzzled she'd seen such kindness before, but hardly ever in the Digital World. Seeing Christmas there was almost overwhelming; this made it all the more so. Renamon was a rather reclusive creature by nature, so she normally would've never dreamed of doing something like Guardromon was. Honestly, something about this holiday just made her feel different at the moment…

She took hold of a bag threatening to fall and turned her indifferent gaze to Guardromon. "Where is this nursery?"

She'd found her reason to be happy.

* * *

Watching this conversation was a small purple creature on a nearby forest branch. The two had been on the outside of the plane and thus in perfect hearing distance for said creature.

"Hmph!" Impmon grunted discontentedly. "What kind of stupid Digimon would give up their holiday to play around with a bunch of snot-nosed Babies?" He watched Renamon and Guardromon walk farther and farther away, standing up as he did. "I'm not gonna waste my time doin' things like that!" Still… He couldn't put his finger on it, but a strange empty feeling gnawed at his stomach.

"_Joy to the world, the Sovereign's come!"_ A loud bellowing voice made Impmon yelp and lose his footing, sending him and a large pile of snow crashing to the ground. _"Let Mon receiver their king!"_ Impmon climbed out of the snow drift, melting part of it with fireballs that now danced on his fingers. He growled as the voice continued, growing closer as it did. _"Let ev'ry heaart prepare him rooom," _the voice now flew passed a tree and revealed an IceDevimon floating along as he belted out the tune. _Let Megas and Rookies sing, let Megas and Rookies sing, let Meegas and Rookies sing!"_

He looked like he was about to begin screaming the next verse, so Impmon quickly threw one of his fireballs at the Champion. It exploded right in front of his ace. The alarmed IceDevimon looked to the source of the disturbance and spied Impmon glaring at him with a fury that could melt the very snow he stood on.

"What's the big idea goin' 'round an' usin' that stupid song to knock innocent Digimon like myself outta trees, eh?!" Impmon seethed.

IceDevimon's face melted to reveal a warm smile. "Well, hello little fellow!"

_Oh, Good Sovereign! What _happened_ ta all the great warriors of the Digital World?!_ Impmon screamed in his mind. "Everyone's gone completely crazy!" Impmon yelled, sending off all his remaining fireballs. "This stupid holiday's fried the brains of every stupid Digimon in this entire stupid world!"

"You don't like Christmas?" IceDevimon flew closer, landing near Impmon.

Impmon's fingers lit again. "Hey! You better keep your distance, ya frozen freak!"

IceDevimon laughed. "Ah, it's been so long since someone called me that! It almost makes me nostalgic…" He smiled, getting a faraway look in his eyes.

Impmon groaned. "I'm the only sane one in the whole Digital World!"

The Fallen Angel Digimon turned his attention back to Impmon. "Why is it that you don't like this joyous holiday, little one?"

"Because," cried the little Rookie, "suddenly this crazy holiday comes and everyone's lost everything that made them fierce and great! They're all a bunch 'a sissies!" He threw his fireball at the tree, leaving a burn mark and sending more snow down around him. IceDevimon was silent. He walked slowly up to Impmon, making the smaller Digimon get defensive. "Hey, hey, hey! You keep away from me, got that?!"

IceDevimon ignored him. "I want to show you something." He reached down and scooped up Impmon under one arm, taking flight as he did.

"Ahh! Put me down!" Impmon demanded.

IceDevimon flew over the plane, disregarding Impmon's cries. "Do you see that there?" He pointed calmly down at Renamon and Guardromon. "Those are two respectable Digimon, giving their time to be with those unfortunate. They don't seem to be unhappy, either. I wonder why that is…"

Impmon grumbled, crossing his arms. "'Cause they've lost a few of their marbles, that's why…"

IceDevimon either didn't hear him or didn't care. "Christmas is a time to be selfless for those who are less fortunate, no matter what. It is a time for you to be with the ones you love, as well, to give instead of receive. Friends, family, everyone. Mothers and children, employees and employers, Tamers and their partners."

Impmon stopped his struggling abruptly.

"_We sure love you," Ai said as she kissed his cheek._

_Impmon blushed, backing away and putting a hand to his cheek._

_FLASH!_

_Mako handed Impmon his toy gun. "It's my favorite, and you can blast all the bad guys with it."_

_FLASH!_

_Beelzemon just barely moved out of the way as the D-Reaper's core fired at him, his previous blast useless. He moved out of the way in time, but his gun didn't make it. The blast engulfed it, as well as his arm._

"_Ah! No!" He cried, remembering Mako's gift._

_His arm smoked as the blast subsided, but the gun was gone. "That was a gift from Mako!"_

Impmon frowned. _Ai… Mako…_

IceDevimon looked at Impmon knowingly. "Christmas is a time to remember those who are no longer with us, and to reflect upon our happy days." His voice was soft, but it rang loud and clear in Impmon's head.

Impmon didn't notice when IceDevimon landed in the same place they left from, nor did he realize when he put him down. The only thing he heard was, "Have a Merry Christmas, Impmon. I hope you know what to do now." When Impmon looked up, IceDevimon was gone, not a single flake of snow out of place. Impmon stood on his tree branch again, just as he had before the Fallen Angel had come.

And he knew what to do now.

* * *

The blizzard raged fiercely in the Wish-Granter's sector. Lopmon's group continued to press on though the endless snow. Because he was a Mega, MarineAngemon led the way, taking the brunt of the blizzard with Terriermon close behind. Lopmon brought up the rear, having to push Calumon forward as the snow was getting to be too much for him. They had originally traveled in a bubble MarineAngemon made, but the blizzard proved too much for it, and they had to go on foot. Now if the Angel Digimon tried to use a bubble to protect them, he would only use up too much energy.

While they had been traveling for quite a while, their destination was still a long ways off. Lopmon looked over their weary team and began to feel guilty for leading them there. She was beginning to think this was all a big mistake.

"TERRIERMON!" She screamed over the storm. "MAYBE WE SHOULD GO BACK!"

No response. Maybe he didn't hear her.

"TERRIERMON!" She tried again. "MAYBE WE SHOULD GO-!"

Terriermon spun around, his eyes flaming with uncharacteristic anger. "WE'VE COME TOO FAR TO STOP NOW!"

"WE'LL NEVER MAKE IT AT THIS RATE!" The brown rabbit argued back. "WE'LL DIE, AND THAT WON'T HELP ANYTHING!"

MarineAngemon stopped upon hearing the shouting and looked back. It looked like it was hard just to stay upright. Calumon stirred in front of her, though he was slumped over and really almost beneath her. She could hear his soft cooing, but couldn't make out his exact words.

Terriermon glared at her in resentment. It was the angriest she'd ever seen him, and honestly it scared her. Terriermon had always been a laid back jokester, with a streak of battle-hunger and a kinda-sorta sense of justice. The look in his eyes… It almost reminded her of his Tamer; he had the same look when he discovered his father was responsible for the Digimon going back to the Digital World…

"I'M NOT GOING BACK!" Terriermon yelled, shaking his head. "I'M NOT GOING BACK TO THAT PLACE, NEVER! YOU CAN GO BACK AND LIVE YOUR LIFE IN THE DIGITAL WORLD IF YOU WANT, BUT I'M GOING TO FIND MY TAMER!"

Lopmon never realized how close Terriermon and Henry had been. Now she did.

But that didn't stop her. "YOU CAN'T IF YOU'RE DEAD! AND EVEN IF WE MAKE IT, MARINEANGEMON, He…" She grew softer as her anger subsided. Fear began to take hold.

She glanced down at little Calumon as well. He didn't look like he'd last either. What would happen to them? How were they going to make it? If they turned back now, they may have had a chance to get out alive. All of them.

Terriermon's eyes slowly lost their wrath, and the two were silent. The wind whipped across the ground, sending snow flying and obscuring their vision every now and then, but when it cleared all they saw was each other; an altered reflection of a weary friend.

"What'll happen to us?" Lopmon asked, her voice barely audible over the storm. "… If we don't make it… Our Tamers… What will they…?"

She received no response. They were scared. Both of them. Scared for their Tamers, afraid that they- the Tamers- would be broken-hearted at their deaths. The fear went unsaid, but all understood it.

"I don't…" Terriermon's feeble attempt at an answer fell to the winds as the picked up again, almost sweeping Calumon away.

MarineAngemon gave the answer. "WE KEEP GOING!" He made sure they could hear him. "I CAN MAKE IT! WE KEEP GOING! I'LL BE STRONG!"

And that was answer enough for all of them. They started again, just as they had been going, when a savior seemed to answer their unsaid prayers.

An ice-bridge. A long, wide ice-bridge. All of them could see there was nothing under it, and while it was wide enough to probably hold even a Tuskmon, they all knew it probably wasn't that sturdy. It was Calumon who saw it, and even though it seemed dangerous, they all knew they had to take it. They had several paths, and this one was the most direct. The group had come to a peak. A smaller one than their destination, but a peak nonetheless. They could go around it, but as the mountain stretched on to the left like a ridge, that would take too long. Climbing it was out of the question completely. It was then that Calumon yelled and pointed to the ice-bridge. It wasn't out of the way; rather, it was almost right next to the mountain. If one were to fall over the right side, there would be no hope, but the left side was protected by the mountain's steep side.

They looked at one another, and the answer was unanimous.

_Oh, Great Sovereign, _Lopmon prayed in her mind, _Please, please help us._

* * *

Takato arrived late. He tried not to, but he did. He was late by a half-an-hour, even after his hasty finish to his present.

"Don't worry, honey," Takehiro soothed quietly as Yoshie raged quietly. Takato was almost afraid for his life. "It was the train's fault, dear."

"I know, but first last year and now this!" Yoshie cried as Takato rang the door bell.

The father-son duo sighed. Yoshie was still hung up on the Tamers' Party the Matsukis hosted the year before. It was a simple get together, nothing fancy, at a local dining hall. While everyone enjoyed it, Yoshie always compared it to previous parties in which the group had always done something extravagant or fantastic. When she heard that Rumiko rented a resort, she'd just about gone crazy.

"Relax, Mom," Takato sighed.

"Well, well, look who it is." Rika stood in the doorway with Rumiko, smirking slightly.

"Yoshie, it's been so long!" Rumiko welcomed. "Here, let me help you with those." She took a few bags and the group went inside.

"You really pulled out all the stops this year, Rumiko," Yoshie commented, amazed at the buildings' interior. "My little dinner party last year is nothing compared to this!"

"Oh, stop, Yoshie," Rumiko laughed. "Last year's party was wonderful. And I didn't do all this myself, you know."

The adults continued to converse as Rika welcomed Takato. "What took you so long, Goggle-Head?" Well, sort of.

Takato chuckled sheepishly. "Well, we only just caught the train in the subway, and, ah… It was delayed. They said it was because of weather difficulties."

Rika blinked. "How could an underground train be delayed because of the weather?"

Takato shrugged. He looked around quickly and made sure no one else was there. "Hey, ah, Rika..." Takato flushed slightly. "Is, ah … I mean, is…?"

"You're a half-an-hour late, Takato; Jeri's here." Rika assured him. Takato nodded, blushing furiously. "You're not the last person here, though."

"Huh?"

Rika frowned. "The twins aren't here yet. They called and said they're parents were stuck in traffic. Apparently we have a big storm coming this way."

"Man… Poor Suzie." Takato knew how disappointed Suzie was when she found out Ai and Mako couldn't come to her school play, and this seemed to just add insult to injury.

"They should get here before the end of the day, though." Rika told him. "Hopefully." They were silent for a moment. "Come on, I'll show you where to put your coat."

* * *

_The party continued and it was a blast._

_However, after some time had passed…_

"You sure we should be doing this?" Kenta asked Kazu uncertainly.

"Relax!" Kazu assured his friend. "They'll thank us, really!"

"Okay…"

It had been about four and-a-half hours since the party started, and Kazu and Kenta were ready to put their amateur plan into action. The plan's goal was, of course, to get the two "couples" of the Tamers' group to stop being so oblivious and do themselves a favor. Why had the two decided to take action? Well, for one, it was for the good of those involved, and for another watching everything unfold for the passed three years was getting to be very annoying.

So they decided to lend a helping hand of sorts.

"Now, let's get to work…" Kazu grinned, slinking off into his position.

Kenta sighed. "She's going to kill me later, I know it…"

* * *

The Digital World was in its last hour of day when Monodramon and Guilmon finally stopped their games. They'd started by just making snow angels, but soon they'd gotten into a snowball fight with a group of Mushroommon. The Dragon Digimon were beaten repeatedly, but they didn't care. They had fun, and that was enough for them.

"What about the time when you were trapped by that one little Mushroommon?" Monodramon laughed, recalling the snow ball fight.

"And then when you came to help?" Guilmon added. "You turned around and the entire team was behind you?"

The both laughed. Man, it felt good to laugh.

"Wow… That was the most fun I've had in a long time!" Monodramon cried, wiping a tear of laughter from his eyes. "I bet you, though, if those guys hadn't had to go home, we'd've gotten them good!"

"Yeah!" Guilmon agreed.

They talked and joked until they reached a small cave. Guilmon stopped when he saw it, but Monodramon hadn't any idea why.

"This is where I live," Guilmon explained. "I have to prepare for tomorrow, so…"

Monodramon frowned. "Oh… Okay, then. I guess I'll be seeing you around."

"Monodramon?" Guilmon asked. Monodramon blinked. "Do you want to celebrate Christmas Eve together?" Monodramon was at a loss for words, but the red dragon continued, "Because no one should be alone on Christmas, right?"

Monodramon smiled. "Yeah. You're right." _He's a lot smarter than the others give him credit for._ "So," Monodramon grinned. "How about we head down to that strip-mall that was set up and get some food for tonight?"

"Strip mall? I didn't know malls wear clothes."

"Huh? Ah! No! Not _that_ kind of strip!"

* * *

The wind screamed across the barren sector even more fiercely than before as the small group of adventures pushed forward. The order they were traveling had now changed. Lopmon took up the front because MarineAngemon had almost collapsed against the force of the storm. She was followed closely by Calumon, who was in front of MarineAngemon and Terriermon. Terriermon was pushing MarineAngemon forward, murmuring words of encouragement to him. Lopmon was amazed at how far they'd come. The peak no longer seemed like an impossible destination, though they would still need to hurry if they wanted to get there before sunrise tomorrow. The ridge-like mountain had kept on going to the point where Lopmon wondered if she should just call it a large plateau.

The wind suddenly picked up again, sweeping the unsuspecting Calumon off his feet.

"Ohhhh noooo!" He cried as the gust almost swept him off the path completely.

"Calumon!" Lopmon dashed forward and grabbed his outstretched hands, pulling him to the ground. "That was close…" He clung to her, moaning fearfully.

She looked back to see Terriermon still moving at a crawling pace with MarineAngemon. She was about to call to them, telling them Calumon was alright, when she heard a small noise from above, sounding almost like a creak. Her eyes widened in horror as she saw three large snow-boulders plummeting toward her slow-moving companions.

"TERRIERMON, MARINEANGEMON, **MOVE**!" She screamed. _Too late!_ She opened her mouth, and, "**BLAZING ICE**!"

Lopmon fired three attacks in quick succession. Two hit their mark, turning the snow-boulders into snowball-sized clumps. Her last attack, however, struck the ridge itself. The remaining snow-boulder raced toward Terriermon and MarineAngemon and, in a desperate attempt, Terriermon pulled MarineAngemon back and then spun around, shoving him away from the oncoming boulder. The remains of the other boulders fell around him, blocking him from view as the boulder hit its mark.

"TERRIERMON!" Lopmon yelled.

"No, no, oh no, no, no, no, nooooo!" Calumon cried, shaking his head.

And the wind finally started to die down. Lopmon shook her head sadly. "Terriermon…"

It wasn't over yet, though. A sound came from above her again. What started as a dull rumble soon multiplied into a thundering roar. _An avalanche!_ Panic filled Lopmon again as she pulled Calumon with her. She froze. _MarineAngemon!_ She could do nothing. She couldn't run back to try and save him. She couldn't even see where he was!

"I'm sorry…" Small tears flew from her eyes and she ran from the landslide and pulled Calumon with her.

"**Kahuna Waves**!"

"**Terrier Tornado**!"

Lopmon gasped as her heard the attacks. She spun around to see the avalanche hit and collide with the attacks.

"TERRIERMON, MARINEANGEMON, ARE YOU TWO OKAY?" Calumon called when the noise had diminished.

Silence, but then…

"Yeah!" A small noise came from the other side of the snow. Terriermon! "Yeah, we're alive! MarineAngemon's out cold, though! He saved me just before that snow-wad smashed me, and then protected us from the avalanche!"

"Stay there! We'll get to you!" Lopmon called.

"What are you, crazy?!" Terriermon yelled back as the wind started up again. "There's no way you'll get there in time if you wait!"

"But-!"

"Go on! We'll find some other way!" It was getting hard to hear him now. "It's up to you guys…!"

The wind over took his words, and Lopmon knew it would be impossible to talk to them now.

Calumon's ears shrunk into his head. "What'll we do now?" He asked Lopmon timidly.

Lopmon turned her firm gaze to the peak. "Find Lampmon."

And the world switched to night.

It was now a race against time.

* * *

Rika walked into the large kitchen and pour herself a glass of punch. The party had been going strong for a total of five hours, and she didn't think it could go much better. The Tamers had spent the time talking and joking and hanging out. Now, most people would think five hours of just hanging around would be boring, but not for this group. Even the Baby Digimon were having fun. Ai and Mako had yet to arrive, which saddened Suzie, but she seemed to be alright now.

The only thing that would make the party perfect was…

She grabbed her drink and was about to go back to the current "party room"- it changed as the group moved-, but was blocked by Kenta.

"Hi, Rika!" Well, someone was enthusiastic today.

"Hello, Kenta." The red-head replied with her right eyebrow raised.

"Hi!"

Silence.

"I'd like to get back to the party now." Rika tried to move around him.

"Wait!" Kenta cried a little too quickly. "Erm, ah, I mean, your mom told me to get you. She's, ah, waiting out on the balcony for you."

Rika sighed. "Of course… Well into the festivities and Mom's still setting things up." She paused. "Which balcony?"

"The one down the hall from the Christmas Tree room." Kenta didn't falter this time.

"Thanks, Kenta." Rika replied in an almost exasperated tone. He moved aside and she left the kitchen, leaving her drink on the counter. "She never stops…" She half-grumbled.

When Rika reached the balcony, she was surprised to find not her mother, but Ryo, staring out at the snow-covered trees.

"Huh?! What're you doing out here?" She stammered.

Ryo turned around, equally surprised. "I could ask you the same question."

"I was told my mom was out here." Rika responded shortly. She was still a little annoyed from their conversation the morning before, though she wasn't quite sure why.

"Funny, I was told the same with my dad." A pause. "Did Kazu tell you?"

"Close, Kenta."

They both sighed. _Of course…_

Rika was about to head back inside, but Ryo's voice stopped her. "Rika?"

"What?"

"Ah … Sorry. About yesterday." He sounded so sincere.

Rika bit her lip. Great, now he made her feel bad. She hesitantly turned back around and stood next to him at the banister. "Yeah, well, you should be." Just because she felt guilty didn't mean she wouldn't jab him a little.

He half-smirked, recognizing the tone in her voice. He bowed over-dramatically. "Yes, _so_ sorry that I made the Great Digimon Queen lose her temper yet again."

Rika returned the half-smirk as he straightened up. "You really didn't have to do anything; just the sight of you makes me angry enough."

Ryo rolled his eyes. "Not up to your usual standards." He responded.

Rika shrugged. "Give me a break. I spent the entire morning decorating this place."

They both chuckled a little bit. Things seemed to be back to normal between the old rivals, though Rika was still annoyed with him. There was just this something that kept nagging her, telling her to be mad at him. She wanted it to shut up.

Ryo frowned. "Why do you think those two got us out here, anyway?" He asked after a few minutes.

"Don't know, don't care." Rika replied with a snort. "Who knows what those two clowns are thinking." She shivered a bit. The sun was setting and the temperature was dropping. "We should probably be getting inside now."

She started to turn to leave, but Ryo grabbed her arm. She looked at him quizzically.

"I think I've figured it out." He responded, pointing up.

Rika followed his finger and paled. Mistletoe. An entire forest of mistletoe. Someone had hung so much that there wasn't a single place on the balcony where two people could stand and not get caught under its evil power. And Rika had a good idea who that someone was, or rather, _someones_.

"Let's just forget about it," Rika started hastily. "I mean, it's not like there's anyone around, so we don't have to…" She didn't dare say the last word. "… you know."

Ryo nodded, a little flushed himself. "Right. It's just a stupid tradition, not like we have to follow it."

"Right." Rika nodded as well. _So why won't he let go of my arm?_

"I mean, we don't have to," Ryo continued. "Not if you're scared."

_Scared?!_ Oh, he did _not_ just say that. "Scared?!" Rika snapped in reply.

"Well, yeah." Ryo chose his words carefully. "I mean, if it's only a stupid tradition, why not just do it? It's nothing more, right?"

Was he challenging her? "Yeah… Yeah."

"We could do it right here and not feel anything, right?" Ryo asked. Rika was vaguely aware that he'd let go of her arm and she was back by the balcony now.

"Right. I wouldn't feel anything. Just a stupid tradition." She confirmed. They were awfully close.

"Not a thing?" Getting closer.

"Nope. Nothing." They're hands were touching on the balcony.

"Then…" He was leaning down.

"Then…" She didn't feel all that cold anymore.

She was the one that closed the gap. Her eyes closed seconds before, and his closed seconds after. The kiss only had to be a short little peck, if anything, but for some reason it didn't want to stop. She even felt an odd desire to open her mouth and-

The kiss didn't want to stop, but it did. They two pulled away from each other, breathing heavily.

They were still very close. "See?" Rika was panting. "Nothing." She could see his face was as red as hers.

"Nothing." Ryo confirmed.

Neither one of them sounded all that sure. Neither one stepped back. They were just frozen there for the longest time.

The balcony's sliding glass door opened. The two Tamers separated quickly. "Hey, we're in for a blizzard tonight so you-" Rinchei's words died in his mouth. His tongue flipped over and made a few garbled sounds.

Rika realized her hand still felt warm and noticed she hadn't removed it from the banister. The banister that Ryo's hand was on as well. The hand that was _holding her own_. She yanked it away, her face as red as her hair. She said nothing, but turned and quickly pushed her way inside.

_Oh, God… What did I just _do

* * *

Jeri sat on the eastern couch in the Tree Room, deep in thought. She was alone, which at the moment was for the best. A little thought kept bugging her- nagging, actually. She noticed all day that whenever she tried to talk to Takato on his own, he would always avoid her or rope someone else into the conversation. Now, she shouldn't have been so concerned. I mean, he was probably just preoccupied with thoughts about the Digimon. Heck, she knew she was, so why not Takato?

Yet something proceeded to nag her. She told herself not to take it personally, really she did, but nothing worked. _What if it's me?_ She kept asking herself that over and over and over until her head just couldn't take it. She knew why. She couldn't deny her huge crush on the Goggled-Tamer, not after all these years. She thought it was just a crush and nothing more. I mean, the guy saved her life. But, as time went on, she found her "crush" wasn't going away, but only growing. She didn't want to destroy the friendship they had, so she decided to see if he liked her back.

And she watched and waited.

And it was driving her insane. Did he like her? Did he not? She knew her thoughts were contradicting what she'd told Ryo the night before, but why in the world couldn't guys just be straight forward?

"Maybe I should find someone to talk to about this…" Jeri sighed.

As if the world was agreeing with her and offering her a solution, in came Rika, looking extremely flustered and red-faced. She as muttering to herself and shaking her head and overall being very un-Rika-like.

But Jeri would settle for what she could get.

"Rika?" She asked cautiously. To her surprise, Rika jumped. Apparently, she just realized someone else was in the room with her.

"J-Jeri! Jeri, hi! What're you doing here?" Yeah, something was up.

"Rika… Are you okay?" Jeri asked carefully.

"Me? Fine!" Rika chuckled nervously.

Jeri decided to let it go for the moment. Rika wouldn't let anyone know what was going on unless she wanted them to know. It was no use forcing anything.

"Er… Rika… Can you help me?" The Former Tamer asked her friend.

Rika seemed to be very relieved, either because Jeri changed the subject, it could take her mind off things, or both. She walked over and sat on the couch next to her. "Depends. What's the problem?"

"Well… Takato's been acting weird lately." Jeri started.

Rika snorted good-naturedly. "It's Takato; weird is normal."

Jeri expanded on her explanation. "I mean, he's been avoiding me a lot recently. I don't _think _I did anything wrong, but… I don't know. The last thing I want is for him to be angry with me, and … Rika, do you think he hates me?"

Rika was very, very still and very, very quiet. Then, an eerie calm voice. "Jeri, may I please borrow Puppet-chan?"

Jeri titled her head in confusion, unsure of how this would help. She took our Puppet-chan all the same. "Uh, here."

Rika put Puppet-chan on her right hand very calmly and stared at him for a moment. Then,

_HA-CHOMP!_

"Ow!" Jeri put her hand to her nose. "Rika!" Rika had used Puppet-chan to bite her on the nose! "Why'd you do that?!"

"You're kidding me!" She cried, standing up. "You _can't_ be serious!" She laughed dryly. "You're even denser than Goggle-Head! No, I take that back, because that is **impossible**!"

Jeri blinked. "I don't…"

"You really need for me to spell it out for you, Jeri?" Rika asked in an annoyed tone. Jeri nodded mutely and Rika sighed, kneeling in front of her. "Jeri, Takato likes you, as in he _likes_ you."

Jeri's mouth opened wide, but refused to close. "I… He… You mean he…?"

"Yes, Jeri, I do." Rika replied. "The boy is head-over-heels in freaking _love_ with you, girl! Has been since the Digital World. Heck, maybe even longer! I don't know! All I know is the boy's been crazy about you for the longest time and you're crazy about him too, and it's _so_ obvious, yet both of you just sit around and wait for the other to make a move, yet neither have the guts, so you just sit and wait until something happens, even though it won't, and do you have _any_ idea of how _annoying_ it is to watch two people who are practically _made_ for each other be so _dense_ as not realize the other one _is in love with them_?" Rika let out a deep breath, just now realizing how ironic the situation was.

_You were describing yourself, you know,_ a little voice sneered at her.

_Oh, shut up._

Rika then realized Jeri was silent. Completely and totally silent. Her mouth was still wide open and her eyes were staring sightlessly ahead.

"… Jeri…?" Rika waved her hand in front of Jeri's face. "Oh, God, I think I killed her." She stood up straight and poked Jeri very lightly on the forehead. And the girl fell over. "Oh, God, I _did_ kill her!"

Fate hated Rika that day and decided to have the door open at the particular moment. Luckily, it wasn't Takato who walked in.

Henry looked from Jeri to Rika to Jeri again. "What…?"

"I killed Jeri!" Rika cried hysterically.

The calm Tamer raised an eyebrow. "Why are you wearing Puppet-chan?" He asked before anything else.

Rika blinked, looked at her right hand. She ripped off the sock puppet and threw it aside as if it were a rabid squirrel.

Henry walked up to Jeri and set her up straight. He stared into her eyes for a moment and then, very calmly, closed them, letting her fall over again. "She's just unconscious. She must've fainted." Rika sighed in relief. "What did you do?"

"I only told her the truth! I was _trying_ to help!" Rika exclaimed. Henry opened his mouth to ask her again. "I told her Goggle-Head likes her!" And Henry's mouth opened wider.

"You didn't."

"I did!" Rika replied in a strained voice. This had to be the worst day ever.

Henry groaned. "Man, Rika, Takato's going to _kill_ you for telling."

"It's obvious!" Rika shot back, starting to get part of her Rika-flair back. "A person blind, death, and partially brain-dead could see it!"

Henry's gazed at her with a strange hardness in his eyes. "You know just as well as I do that these kinds of things don't work like that." _Maybe even more so,_ his eyes seemed to say, reminding Rika of her own problems.

Rika slumped on to the southern couch. "What am I supposed to do?" She half-moaned.

"Well for one, it would be a good idea that Takato not see Jeri." Henry suggested.

Fate still hated Rika as the door opened again. It still wasn't Takato, which was good, but it was the next worst thing: Kazu and Kenta.

They looked from Jeri to Rika to Henry and back to Jeri. "… Did you guys kill Jeri?" Kazu asked the two.

Henry pointed at Rika almost idly.

"HENRY!" Rika yelled, leaping up and getting ready to throttle him.

"Kidding, kidding!" Henry backed away and put his hands up defensively. "Jeez… No, we didn't kill her; she fainted."

"How?" Kenta asked in alarm.

"Rika told Jeri Takato likes her." Henry replied. The violet eyes mentally stabbing his head made him shiver. "So we need you guys to help us out."

"How?"

"What's in it for us?"

Kenta and Kazu asked respectively at the same time.

"You two get to live," Rika snarled dangerously.

"F-fair enough!" Kazu answered from behind Kenta.

"You need to make sure Takato does not come in here until we wake up Jeri," Henry replied.

"How're we supposed to know when she wakes up?" Kazu asked hesitantly.

Henry was silent for a moment. "All plans have flaws," He murmured before pushing the protesting Tamers out the door.

"And how're we supposed to wake up Jeri?" Rika queried.

"… Okay, so this one has _a lot_ of flaws."

Yes, fate _hated_ Rika Nonaka.

* * *

"_He wasn't very confident in anything that had to do with girls, especially since he didn't have many talents, but he gave it a shot anyway."_

Takato growled at his mind. "Okay, I get it!"

Chibimon, who had been sitting on his head as he walked, looked at him in confusion and then hopped off and away. Takato groaned. For the past _five hours_, his mother's phrase was repeating in his mind. Every time he looked at Jeri, it would repeat itself louder and louder, making any conversation uncomfortable.

Finally, he'd gotten to his breaking point. "Okay, that's it!" He cried. "I declare right now that I, Takato Matsuki, will do … _something _with Jeri Katou before the day is done!" He clutched her gift close. He'd been planning on giving it to her first thing Christmas morning, but he couldn't take it anymore.

Now if only he could _find_ her. Takato cursed the overly large resort. No one place should be this big. The overly long staircases were one thing, but the entire resort seemed to be too big for reality. He had just gotten to the bottom floor when he –quite literally- ran into Ryo.

"Ah, Takato!" _Well, someone's jumpy today. And is he sick or something? _"Sorry, didn't see you there." He was glancing over his shoulder and fidgeting. What was going on here?

"Ah…" Takato had half a mind to ask him what was going on, but his mother's phrase whispered itself in his head once more. "Ryo, have you, um, seen Jeri around?"

"Jeri?" Ryo asked. He bit his lip in concentration, ceasing his fidgeting for a moment. "Last I saw she was in the room with the tree."

"How long ago?" Takato asked.

"Ummmm… Ten minutes?" Ryo guessed, shrugging.

Takato grinned. "Thanks, Ryo. I think I can work with that." Ryo nodded, heading in the general direction of the front hall. "Hey, Ryo!"

He turned back for a moment. "Yeah?"

"You okay? You seem a little… off." Takato was putting it nicely.

Ryo chuckled with extreme edginess. "Just a little bit distracted… Yeah, distracted is a good way to put it. I'm just going to take a little walk and clear my head."

"Okay," Takato responded. "There's going to be a storm tonight, you know."

"Don't worry; I'll be back within the hour." Ryo assured, waving goodbye and making haste to the front hall.

Takato blinked. "Hm," he laughed, "odd."

The Hazard Tamer decided to put Ryo's jumpiness behind him. He took a deep breath.

_In, out. In, out. Come on, Takato, you can do this. You've taken on the D-Reaper and won. You can do this. She's just a girl. … A really, really pretty girl. Ohhhh, focus!_

Takato reached the front hall, noticing Ryo was already gone, and stopped in front of the Tree Room. He reached for the doorknob, only to be practically bulled-over by Kazu and Kenta, who had just leaped out of the room.

"Oh, Takato!" Kazu greeted with unusual volume. "Great to see you!" A small, almost unrecognizable squeak came from the Tree Room.

"Was… was that … Rika?" Takato almost didn't believe the words as the came out of his mouth.

Kenta laughed. Falsely. "Why, of course not! You're hearing things, Takato!" Now he heard a groan. One that sounded like Henry.

"Okaaaay…" Takato eyed his two friends suspiciously. "Look, I kind of have to get through, so-"

"Jeri's not in there!" They both exclaimed at once. A noise that sounded like a strangle shriek crossed with a howl of rage now reached his ears.

"Okay, now I _know_ that was Rika." Takato confirmed aloud. "I don't know what you guys are doing, but apparently Jeri's in there, and I need to talk with her."

"No!" Cried Kazu.

"Don't go in there!" Kenta pleaded.

They blocked the door with their own bodies, but one well-placed glare made them move. If there was one thing they'd learned from the Digital World, it was that an angry Takato was a deadly Takato, even without Guilmon.

Kenta muttered something along the lines of, "and I thought she was going to kill me before," as Takato opened the door.

He stood frozen at the sight. Jeri, lying passed out on the eastern couch; Rika, trying to wake up Jeri by lightly slapping her on the cheek; and Henry, standing over the two shaking his head and holding it in his hands. And Takato was, for a moment, calm.

Then that moment passed.

"WHAT IN THE WORLD IS GOING ON HERE?!" Takato screamed, making Kazu and Kenta dash away from the room, and Henry and Rika wince.

Rika stood up and sighed. She then frowned, toughening herself up. "I told Jeri the truth."

"… The truth?"

"I told her that you like her." Rika told him with a straight face.

Takato went completely white. "RIKAAAAA!!! Why'd you do that?!" Takato hollered, half-hysterical, half-enraged.

Rika walked up to Takato, just as steamed. "Because, Takato, she deserves to know! After three long years, she really does! And honestly I don't really want to get into an argument right now, because I have problems of my own!" She snapped. "Talk to her. When she wakes up, talk to her. Or so help me, I'll make you wish we never met!" She stormed out of the room.

Takato was taken aback, as was Henry. Neither of them had any clue why Rika was so angry. Henry quickly followed her, giving Takato a brief apologetic glance.

"Rika!" Henry called as he exited the room. He shut the door as an afterthought. _Best to give Takato some privacy._ "Rika, what's…?"

Rika was already grabbing her coat and hat, heading for the door. "I need to take a walk," she grumbled, shaking her head.

Henry let her be. She need time to think. If she wanted to talk, she would. He sighed and turned his gaze to the door he'd just come through. _Takato… Good luck…_

* * *

Takato sat on the couch next to Jeri's unconscious form. He was completely silent, unsure of what to say. His fingers ideally tapped his knees, and if he kept biting his lip it would probably start bleeding soon. Jeri's gift sat undisturbed on the coffee table in front of him. _Man…What do I do?_

A soft mumbled sound came from Jeri and she suddenly latched onto Takato's waist.

"Gah!" Takato blushed. He tried to pull away, but for an unconscious girl, Jeri had a strong grip. Takato sigh-groaned. "Great…" He twitched awkwardly and then… "I really wanted to tell you myself, Jeri. I did before, sort of, to that D-Reaper agent," he clarified. "When I found out she wasn't you, I just … I don't know, I felt like such a fool. I'd just spilled my heart out to some evil imposter, and you were trapped somewhere in the D-Reaper." He unconsciously put his hands on her back. He didn't notice her stiffen. "Kai was the one who really slapped the hard facts into me. I should've just told you right after we won, but then the Digimon… Well… A lot happened, but that's no excuse. You shouldn't have had to hear it from Rika three years later.

"I'm so nervous, Jeri." Takato admitted. "I just keep telling myself, 'what if'. What if I'd told you sooner, or what if you don't like me back? I don't want anything to come between us, but…" He sighed again. "I don't want things to be weird between us." He groaned. "I don't even know why I'm saying any of this. You probably like someone else, someone better than me…" Takato felt like he had his own personal pity-party patting him on the back. They continued to until he heard… laughing? "Why is my stomach laughing at me?" Takato wondered aloud, making the laughing grow louder.

Jeri's arms slipped out from around Takato's waist and she almost rolled on to the ground. "Oh, man… Rika was _right_!"

Takato's face turned completely scarlet. "J-Jeri?! You were awake the whole time?!"

Jeri took a deep breath, wiping some tears of laughter from her eyes as she pushed herself into a sitting position and chuckling a little bit more. "I woke up soon after I fainted. I couldn't help it, though. I had to see if Rika was telling the truth." She grinned evilly. "Plus, it was very amusing hearing everyone running around and panicking." _She really _has_ been spending too much time with Rika! _Jeri frowned then. "But Rika seemed awfully upset. I hope she's okay…"

"Her?!" Takato cried. "What about _me_?!" He felt a little selfish, but part of him just felt like it needed to be.

Jeri laughed again. "Takato, Rika said we were the densest people she'd ever met. That's the truest statement I've ever heard." Takato blinked. "Takato…" Jeri flushed as well. "You're an idiot for thinking I'd like anyone else, because you're the best there is."

_Takato is not in at the moment. Where is he? Oh, he's currently in Heaven. He died and went there after his dream-girl told him she liked him. When's he coming back? Hell if I know._

Takato swayed on the spot, his throat gurgling up garbled responses. "J-Jeri… I, ah… W-wow…" _You practice for three years and that's all you got? You're pathetic, Takato._

_Shut up, me!_

Jeri blushed as well, giggling nervously. She didn't know what to say either. Good.

Takato gasped upon seeing the picture in front of him. "Oh!" He snatched it up. "I, ah, was going to give this to you tomorrow, but, well, here!" He thrust the gift in her face and she blinked, taking it. "I understand if you don't like it…"

It was a picture. In the picture were all of the Tamers, even little Ai and Mako, from way back when they just defeated the D-Reaper. Some things were different, however. For one, it was a shot of all of the Tamers with their partners, smiling and happy. For another… Leomon was there.

Jeri sat on his shoulders with Calumon hanging on back excitedly. She was holding her D-Ark up to the sky in joy and it shone for all to see. The most shocking part was the sky, though. In the sky were two eyes, looking straight down at Jeri. Two unforgettable eyes.

"Mom…" Jeri whispered softly. She looked up at Takato in disbelief. "How?"

"I saw a picture when I was over at your house once." He admitted. "I was waiting for you and my eyes wondered and, well…" He trailed off. "All I could remember were the eyes, so…" Jeri was too busy staring at the picture, tears in her eyes. Tears. An alarm went off in Takato's head. "Oh, no, Jeri, I'm sorry! I didn't think it would make you cry! I should've been more sensitive, I'm sorry! I'm such an idiotic-!"

Takato's cheek was very warm. It took him exactly five seconds to realize that Jeri had just kissed him.

"I love it." Jeri's eyes sparkled with her unshed tears. "I'll keep it forever."

Takato's mouth formed into a shaking smile. "Ah… J-Jeri? Does this mean…? I mean, now what does this make…?"

Jeri set the picture down on the coffee table and smiled at Takato. "What do you think?" She leaned forward slowly and Takato didn't object.

Just before the gap closed, Takato reminded himself to thank Rika. And apologize.

But then his boyish fantasy for three years was realized, and the only thoughts he had were now on the girl who was in front of him. And whose tongue was now slipping into his mouth…

* * *

Was it all quiet? Yeah, it had calmed down. Suzie crept out from her hiding place in the front hall, seeing no one. She heard footsteps and immediately hid in the nearest closet. She didn't know what had just been happening, but it was all too close. If anyone had caught her, they'd surely not let her go outside, and that would completely ruin any chances she had of getting the Digimon back.

With her coat already on, Suzie dashed out the door and into the cold.

* * *

A/N: Okay, obviously I ended it here for the suspense and such. Not really much to say…

Next Time: As the storm intensifies, several Tamers find themselves trapped in its fury, and it's a race against time to find them. Will the other Tamers be able to locate their missing friends? And will Lopmon and Calumon be able to get to Lampmon in time, or will disaster strike? What about Impmon? Is he finally going to spread a little Christmas cheer? All these questions and more in the next installment of _What is Christmas Spirit, Anyway?_!


End file.
